Doctors will seek permission this month to create Britain’s first baby from the DNA of three people if the government’s fertility regulator approves the treatment for carefully chosen patients.
Specialists in Newcastle are ready to offer mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) to women who are in danger of passing on devastating and often fatal genetic disorders to their children. The conditions affect about one in 10,000 births.
A scientific review commissioned by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) concluded on Wednesday that the therapy should be approved for “cautious clinical use” when children are at risk of inheriting specific genetic diseases.
The HFEA will now consider the findings and invite clinics to apply for licences if it endorses the recommendations at a meeting on 15 December. Last year, parliament changed the law to allow MRT, but scientists continued with further experiments to assess the treatment’s safety.
The Newcastle team has already selected patients who may be suitable for the therapy and plans to submit a licence application as soon as the HFEA gives the go-ahead.
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