UK fertilisation authority launches consultation on mitochondrial replacement techniques

The UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has launched a public consultation on the ethical and social implications of new in vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques designed to avoid the maternal transmission of mitochondrial disease. Under the amended Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Act 1990, mitochondrial replacement is lawful in scientific research, but the embryos cannot be used in treatment. 1 2 The government has asked the HFEA, an expert independent regulator, to seek public views on whether these techniques should be made available. See http://mitochondria.hfea.gov.uk/mitochondria . bmj.com Analysis: Ethics of mitochondrial gene replacement: from bench to bedside (BMJ 2010;341:c6021, doi: 10.1136/bmj.c6021 ) 1 Tavare A. Scientists are to investigate "three parent IVF" for preventing mitochondrial diseases.