First babies with genetic material from three parents: hope for serious hereditary diseases!

First babies with genetic material from three parents: hope for serious hereditary diseases!

In the UK, children with genetic material from three people were recently born for the first time. These four girls and four boys are the first to be born through the innovative mitochondria replacement therapy (MRI), which aims to prevent serious hereditary diseases. The interventions were carried out in cooperation between research teams at Newcastle University (UK) and Monash University (Australia). The procedure, which represents a special form of artificial fertilization (IVF), replaces defective mitochondrial DNA (MTDNA) of the mother by healthy mtdna of a donor.

A central concern of the MRI is to avoid the transfer of mutations in the MTDNA that can cause serious illnesses. Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA are responsible for various health problems, especially in energy -intensive organs such as the heart muscle or the brain. These diseases can affect almost any tissue in the body, which makes their treatment and diagnostics particularly challenging. According to the Ärzteblatt, primary mitochondrial diseases are genetically related dysfunctions that can bring about significant health restrictions.

First success of therapy

So far, the development of five of the eight children has been inconspicuous. However, slight health abnormalities were found in three children, but they are not connected to the MRI. In a press release from Newcastle University, parents expressed their gratitude and joy about the healthy babies, which were born without the risk of serious hereditary illnesses. However, research on these fascinating progress has not yet been completed; Long -term studies are required to rule out possible later effects on the health and development of the children.

Created a legal basis for the application of the MRI since Great Britain in 2015, 35 permits for this method were granted. The oldest of the now born children is over two years old. However, critics of this technique express ethical concerns and refer to the uncertainty about long -term consequences and the complex legal questions that are grouped around egg donation and mitochondrial donors.

The legal framework and ethical concerns

In Germany, the egg donation is prohibited according to the embryo protection law, which makes the legal landscape complicated. [Süddeutsche] (https://www.sueddeutsche.de/gesundheit/mitochondrien-zeitache therapy-babys- grossbritannien-li.3285182) also reports of ethical discussions in which scientists and ethics warn the donor as the third parent. These perspectives shed light on the complex moral and legal challenges that result from the introduction of such therapies.

Hope for a broader application of the MRI is to help a significant number of parents whose children are affected by mitochondrial diseases. According to estimates, about one of 5000 children worldwide could be born with pathological mutations in the mitochondria DNA. This gives rise to great hope for many affected families, but it is also essential that future research will continue to examine the security and effectiveness of these therapies.