Baby With DNA From 3 People Born In Britain

A baby has been born using three people’s DNA for the first time in Britain.

Most of the child’s DNA came from its parents but about 0.1 per cent is said to be from a third person, another woman.

The scientific technique is touted as being designed to prevent children from being born with devastating mitochondrial diseases.

These diseases are long-term, genetic and often inherited disorders that occur when mitochondria fail to carry out their function of producing energy for cells in the body.

In children, symptoms can include poor growth, poor muscle tone, weakness, failure to thrive, spasms and a slow-down in progress or slow deterioration.

Some families who have lost several children to inherited mitochondrial diseases have been deceived into thinking that this technique, known as mitochondrial donation treatment, a modified form of IVF, is their only chance of having a healthy child.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said “less than five” babies have been born in the UK this way, but no further details have been released to protect their identity.

For this child, the DNA from the second woman is reported to have only affected the mitochondria and did not affect other key traits in the child such as appearance. However, the power to decide what is altered lies with the scientists and doctors, who like everyone else are prone to

The latest findings were first reported following a freedom of information request.

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Britain became the first country in the world to formally allow mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) when the HFEA gave a cautious green light to the procedure in 2017.

In 2018, fertility doctors at the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life were given permission by HFEA to give two women the treatment.

Peter Thompson, chief executive of the HFEA, said: “Mitochondrial donation treatment offers families with severe inherited mitochondrial illness the possibility of a healthy child.

He added: “The UK was the first country in the world to allow mitochondrial donation treatment within a regulatory environment.

While the discoveries of modern medicine are wonderful when they are honest, the availability of genomic information and genetic engineering technology creates a lethal threat to humanity in a world where it can easily be weaponized.