Britain has become the first country in the world to allow
the creation of babies with DNA from three people (one man and two women). The
first baby can be born as next year. According to the article on Discovery News, Lawmakers at the
House of Commons voted by 328 to 128. A majority of 254 were in favor for
allowing the creation of in-vitro fertilization babies with the DNA from three
people. This controversial procedure aim to prevent serious inherited diseases
that are being passed on from mother to son.
Mitochondria convert food into energy and live in nearly
every cell of the body. They have their own DNA, which isn’t responsible for
appearance that passes down from mother to child. If the mitochondria is
defective, brain damage, blindness, heart defects can occur in the new born
baby. When the mitochondria is from a healthy donor, the In-vitro fertilization
technique leaves the resulting baby to ward off the disease. This is a big win
for women whose defective mitochondria means that their children can inherit
deadly genetic diseases.
Although this discovery can help women whose defective
mitochondria can affect their child with inherited genetic diseases, I think
people can somehow take advantage of this procedure in the future.
