Nucleus Mitochondria Chromo- somes

Mitochondrial Diseases Organs with high energy needs tend to be most severely affected e.g. muscle, brain, eyes, heart Prevalence - about 1:5000 people in the UK –Around 1 in 200 children are born each year with abnormal mtDNA –Only 1 child in 10,000 is severely affected.

Can lead to (recurrent) stillbirth, death of babies or children It is not possible to predict how severely affected a child will be [May not show up until adulthood] Proposed techniques could ‘save’ around 10 lives each year in the UK –(NB it is not a ‘cure’ for existing cases) Mitochondrial Diseases

1.‘No children’ option 2.Adoption 3.Egg donation* 4.Prenatal diagnosis* early in pregnancy 5.Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis* 6.‘Three parent’ IVF technique* How may Mitochondrial Diseases be prevented? * All have significant ethical implications

‘Three parent embryos’ - questions to be asked? Is it necessary? Does it work? Is it safe? Is it ethical? Is it legal? Why is it being advocated so strongly by some?

Other Issues Can v. ought Ends v. means –“Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.”— Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals Identity and parentage Changing the germ-line!! Wider social implications Precedents and ‘slippery slopes’

What about biblical principles? Made in the image of God God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27 Fearfully and wonderfully made For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:13-16 Children as a gift from God “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him”. Psalm 127:3 Others?

Caveats In discussion our arguments need to be consistent and non- contradictory In considering biblical texts to support an argument the context is important. Don’t fall into the ‘compassion trap’ too readily

Three-parent embryos for mitochondrial disorders CMF files no:51 Summer 2013 –Philippa Taylor –

Three films produced for the U.K. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority explain how Mitochondria Replacement treatment works, and what (some of) the ethical and practical considerations are: considerations.htmlHuman Fertilisation and Embryology Authority considerations.html