Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques are declared ethically Permissible

A panel has made mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRT) permissible. The panel consisting 12 top bioethics experts from Johns Hopkins, Caltech and Harvard released its report on Wednesday, which allow researchers to conduct clinical investigations of MRT. However, certain strict conditions are framed for avoiding ethical and religious concerns. The final approval rests with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Mitochondria are known to many as powerhouse of the cells, which produce energy for the cell and has their own DNA. If mitochondria are defective then a baby is born with several defects such as muscular problems, blindness or even death. Mitochondria contain 37 genes, while the Nuclear DNA contains 20,000 genes. MRT could help reversing the harmful effect of defective mitochondria by switching the 37 Mitochondria with another set.

The researchers would use modifying technique, which involves replacing some of the defective DNA of a mother with fine DNA of another woman. This way the mother wouldn’t transfer mitochondrial diseases to children. The baby born with MRT would have DNA from three genetic parents, which are DNA of mother, father and replaced DNA.

There two ways to exercise the MRT, first involves removal of the nucleus from egg and transfer it to the egg of a woman with healthy mitochondria to fertilize. Another method recommends fertilizing eggs of both women in vitro. Then later doctors take out chromosomes out of the nucleus of one egg and transfer them to the egg of the woman with healthy mitochondria. Unfortunately, embryo belonging to first women is destroyed in the later process, which in past has raised religious concerns in London.

The conditions framed to regulate such investigation stress on using the technique only with male embryos to be born. This will prevent any side effects of the experiment to pass on to future generations. "We may not all agree on what's the right thing or most appropriate thing to do, but there's no question that everybody's thinking carefully about these issues and trying to move forward in the most careful way possible to try to meet the needs of these families," said Dr. Jeffrey Botkin, a professor of pediatrics and chief of medical ethics and humanities at the University of Utah, he was present in the 12-person panel meeting.