MPs revolt over PM’s three-parent baby bill
David Cameron faces staunch opposition from MPs over controversial plans to allow the creation of three-parent babies by using donated DNA from a “second mother”.
Mr Cameron will introduce a bill later this summer which would allow the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA—the fertility regulator) to license clinics to conduct mitochondrial replacement therapy.
The therapy involves transferring the nucleus of one woman’s egg to the egg of another woman, meaning that any child produced would contain genetic material from three different people.
Defiance
A cross-party group of MPs is now preparing to defy the Prime Minister when he introduces the bill due to their serious concerns about the therapy.
Former Conservative minister Caroline Spelman, among others, says the government is pushing unproven technology and should allow more time for debate and a free vote. Leading IVF expert Lord Winston also wants further research to be done.
Conservative MP Fiona Bruce said: “This technique risks being used for other purposes such as consumer-driven eugenics and designer babies. You could replace one gene with another, for example, for blonder hair or blue eyes. The view of many is this isn’t a line that should be crossed.”
Serious risks
Christian Concern has already warned the government about the health, social and ethical problems with the procedure. In its response to a public consultation, it said the proposals could lead to “lasting emotional damage” to children and submit them to serious, irreversible health risks, which would pass from generation to generation.
Andrea Williams commented:
“Mitochondrial replacement therapy is extremely high-risk with no guarantee of success. These MPs are therefore right to oppose this bill. Even the HFEA has said that further tests should be carried out. Let us hope that the Prime Minister listens to these concerns.
“This bill puts Britain out of step with the rest of the world. In Europe alone, more than a dozen countries say that this is a eugenic practice. It is tantamount to playing with the human race.
“Mitochondrial replacement therapy is not a cure—it simply prevents children with mitochondrial diseases from being born. Our money and resources would be much better spent on finding a genuine cure and providing the best care and support for children suffering from such diseases.”
Read more here (Sunday Times) >
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‘Three parent babies’ present huge risk to human race
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