Voices on ... the ‘3-parent baby’
“A five-month-old boy is the first baby to be born using a new technique that incorporates DNA from three people.”
New Scientist
“[The child’s] mother carries genes for Leigh syndrome, a fatal disorder that ... caused the deaths of their first two children ... The baby was conceived from an egg containing nuclear DNA from his mother and father, and mitochondrial DNA from ... an unknown female donor.”
The Telegraph
“This is great news and a huge deal – it’s revolutionary ... Hopefully, this will tame the more zealous critics, accelerate the field, and we will witness soon a birth of the first mitochondrial donation baby in the UK.”
Dr Dusko Ilic, King’s College London
“It is outrageous that they simply ignored the cautious approach of US regulators and went to Mexico, because they think they know better. These scientists have used an experimental technique that many scientists still think is unsafe in order to create a world first.”
Dr David King, Human Genetics Alert
“While this is a promising advancement it is vital that the ethical implications are considered and the techniques appropriately regulated ... It is also important to follow up children born using these techniques to ensure that they remain healthy.”
Dr Lynsey Cree, University of Auckland