Babies made using three people’s DNA are born free of hereditary disease

In a landmark achievement for genetic medicine, eight babies have been born in the UK using DNA from three individuals to prevent mitochondrial disease. This pioneering technique, developed at Newcastle University and approved by UK law in 2015, involves combining DNA from two parents with healthy mitochondria from a donor woman. Mitochondrial disease, a debilitating and often fatal condition passed down maternally, affects around 1 in 5,000 babies and can lead to organ failure, brain damage, and early death. The method replaces defective mitochondria while preserving 99.9% of the child’s genetic identity from the biological parents.

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The first babies, born through procedures at Newcastle Fertility Centre, are reportedly healthy and free from the disease. The process involved fertilizing both the mother’s and donor’s eggs with the father’s sperm, then transferring the parents’ DNA into the donor’s embryo. Though questions remain about long-term mitochondrial stability, early results are promising. Families have expressed profound relief and gratitude, while experts hail the births as a testament to world-leading science, ethical regulation, and NHS support. The technique may soon offer a generational lifeline to families affected by mitochondrial disorders.

Source: BBC