PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsMitochondrial donation: Church of England, Nobel prize winners weigh in on opposite sides

BioNews

Mitochondrial donation: Church of England, Nobel prize winners weigh in on opposite sides

Published 30 January 2015 posted in News and appears in BioNews 788

Author

Rebecca Carr

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.

A group of researchers, including five Nobel laureates, has urged the UK's Parliament to legislate for mitochondrial donation...

A group of researchers, including five Nobel laureates, has urged the UK's Parliament to legislate for mitochondrial donation that could potentially prevent the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease from women to their children.

Writing to The Times ahead of this week's Parliamentary vote on the matter, the scientists argue that parents should no longer 'have to wait for the law to catch up' with the available technology. The letter states that it is for those 'who know what it is like to care for, and sometimes to lose an extremely sick child' to ultimately decide on whether their use of the technology is right for them.

Mitochondrial donation has faced opposition from the Anglican Church, among others, which has said that legalisation of the techniques would be 'irresponsible'. Reverend Dr Brendan McCarthy, the Church of England's national adviser on medical ethics, said: 'The Archbishops' Council, which monitors this issue, does not feel that there has been sufficient scientific study or informed consultation into the ethics, safety and efficacy of mitochondrial transfer'.

'Without a clearer picture of the role mitochondria play in the transfer of hereditary characteristics, the Church does not feel it would be responsible to change the law at this time,' Reverend McCarthy said.

Discussions to permit mitochondrial donation have been underway since 2010, when researchers working in the field requested that the Government use existing powers under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 to introduce Regulations that would allow the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to grant licences to use mitochondrial donation in treatment, if it chose to do so.

At the Government's request, the HFEA undertook three scientific reviews into the techniques in 2011, 2013 and 2014, which concluded that there is no evidence to suggest that the techniques are unsafe.

Further, the Department of Health canvassed opinions from over 1,800 research bodies, patient bodies, professional organisations, faith organisations, parliamentarians and individuals before it decided put draft Regulations before Parliament.

'After years of careful research, we are finally at a point where a cure for mitochondrial disorders may be within reach', said Professor Dagan Wells, associate professor at the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford.

While recognising that 'there will always be a small number who are opposed due to religious or other convictions', Sarah Norcross, director of the Progress Educational Trust, which publishes BioNews, said: 'We are confident that once MPs understand the relevant techniques, and what they mean to families affected by devastating mitochondrial diseases, the majority will vote in favour.'

Researchers from Newcastle University have recently estimated that up to 2,473 women in the UK could benefit from the new techniques.

Related Articles

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
Comment
16 February 2015 • 6 minutes read

Three parent babies: unethical, unnecessary, unsafe

by Philippa Taylor

In a recent Progress Educational Trust debate, 'Mitochondrial Donation: Is It Safe? Is It Ethical?', I spoke about the ethical issues raised by techniques to avoid the passing on of inherited mitochondrial disorders...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
Comment
16 February 2015 • 5 minutes read

Leading the way on mitochondrial donation

by Professor Frances Flinter

Over the last 30 years I have met some remarkable families, from whom I have learned about the rewards and challenges of caring for relatives with incurable genetic conditions....

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
Comment
9 February 2015 • 4 minutes read

Mitochondrial Donation: Is It Safe? Is It Ethical?

by Dr Rachel Montgomery

Held at the Houses of Parliament, and organised by the Progress Educational Trust (the charity that publishes BioNews), this public debate was well attended. With all the chairs taken and many more people standing, people clearly felt it was important to discuss these issues...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
9 January 2015 • 3 minutes read

Mitochondrial DNA donors granted anonymity in draft legislation

by Dr Rachel Montgomery

Regulations to legalise and govern the use of mitochondrial donation techniques have been placed before the UK Parliament....

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
Comment
24 November 2014 • 4 minutes read

Response to open letter on mitochondrial transfer

by Professor Peter Braude and 1 others

A response to the open letter to the UK Parliament by Dr Paul Knoepfler...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
Comment
24 November 2014 • 6 minutes read

Open letter to UK Parliament: avoid historic mistake on rushing human genetic modification

by Dr Paul Knoepfler

Experimental mitochondrial replacement technology has a noble goal, but in my opinion there are too many unanswered questions and risks that remain to allow it to proceed at this time. I believe that moving forward with it would most likely be a tragic mistake for the UK...

PET BioNews
News
2 September 2014 • 2 minutes read

Mitochondrial replacement debated in UK Parliament

by Sandy Starr

A group of backbench MPs, led by Conservative MP Fiona Bruce, has sought to delay the laying before Parliament of regulations permitting the use of mitochondrial replacement techniques...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Mutations in key gene drive malaria drug resistance

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.

Find out how you can advertise here
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Placenta and organ formation observed in mouse embryo models

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Lower hormone doses may improve IVF egg quality

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Boosting muscle cell production of gene therapy proteins

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

First UK medical guidelines issued for trans fertility preservation

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Male age has more impact on IVF birth rate than previously thought

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Placenta and organ formation observed in mouse embryo models

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Complex structures of the human heart bioengineered

8 August 2022 • 1 minute read

Brain tumour gene also linked to childhood cancers

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Lower hormone doses may improve IVF egg quality

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Boosting muscle cell production of gene therapy proteins

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856