Three way IVF needs "more study"

19 April 2011 last updated at 01: 24 GMT by Pallab Ghosh science correspondent, BBC News the technology is controversial, because mitochondria of their own genetic material contain more research is necessary in a controversial fertility treatment, known as over and three IVF, before it can be considered safe for clinical use, a review has concluded.

Mitochondrial transfer aims to replace faulty part of a mother egg with healthy material from a donor.

This means that a baby would have a small amount of the donor of the genetic material, and therefore three biological parents.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) the study carried out.

The HFEA is Britain's independent fertility treatment regulator and its conclusions in a scientific review of the art in order given by the Department of health will be published.

Genetic diseases

The proposed treatment is designed to help families with rare genetic diseases.

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until the Government clinical research and treatment of any legal, this country risks losing its leading status makes "

Dr Evan Harris quote end these disorders are due to failed energy-generating components of cells called mitochondria." Mothers carry this faulty mitochondria in their eggs are at risk that hereditary children with the disease.

After the transfer method is the idea, without prejudice to replace the defective mitochondria in the eggs or embryos fertilized eggs or early embryos of a healthy donor.

The hope is this methods makes it possible to eliminate pairs that have healthy children and disease for future generations, but the technology is controversial, because mitochondria of their own genetic material (DNA wear).

Although this is very small and is only a few genes, the resulting child of this genetic material of the donor will have in addition available maternally and avuncular inherited genes in the nucleus to the most.

The scientific review has concluded, the two most important ways to carry out mitochondrial transplants appear safe, but a little more research is necessary before it can be tested on people.

Call legislation

Medical charities and research organisations, press the Government to prepare the legislation that would make this procedure legal, so the technology at the clinic can be used as soon as it gets green light from the research community.

Dr Evan Harris, the campaign for medical research, said: "without regulations, the clinical work legally, will make it difficult, the laboratory research ensure is financed and done in this country, the studies on families planned can be and."

"Until the Government makes legal, clinical research and possible treatment are subject to strict regulation on safety, this country risks losing its leading status."

Dr Harris spoke out for the legalization of mitochondrial transplant during the passage of the 2008 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act when he science spokesman was Liberal Democrats.

He has now on the Government, called a schedule for consultation and publication regulations provide.

The report, titled scientific assessment of the safety and efficacy of methods, to prevent mitochondrial disease by assisted conception, studied mitochondrial three approaches for the treatment of errors.

The first, which is allowed by legislation, known as studied genetic diagnosis, or PGD.

This includes some tests and only those very early stage embryos from the affected, that regardless of the hereditary disease seem planting.

The report authors made the technique unreliable for some diseases and can not guarantee that the resulting child would be healthy.

Pro life groups

The two techniques are prohibited and require a change in the law for use in the clinic.

Research on human embryonic material is however allowed, if the uterus is implanted in a woman.

A technique known as maternal spindle transfer, are transplanting of nuclear genetic material (in the form of chromosomes) of the Unfertilised egg carry the abnormal mitochondrial DNA into an egg donor is empty, that is then fertilised from obtained the "patient" (the mother).

The other, known as per atom transfer, includes transplanting the genetic material from a fertilized egg from the patient in a healthy "empty" fertilized egg from a donor who had removed his nuclear genetic material.

Some pro-life-groups object to this technique as it is the creation and destruction of embryos.

Experiments with monkeys and work with embryonic material show promise.

But the HFEA scientific review says work more to show that produced embryos must of either technology, will develop normally be carried out.

The report authors want to also research that compares the effectiveness of each technology before clinical trials go-ahead are given.

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