Is Three a Crowd in Reproduction? (The Authorization of Mitochondrial Donation in the UK)

Abstract

Regulations recently passed in the UK to allow mitochondrial donation through artificial reproductive techniques have heated up the debate about this procedure, which in the near future may be extended to other parts of the world. Detractors of mitochondrial donation invoke the excessive risks inherent to the very novelty of the procedure and the lack of knowledge of its consequences. In the ethical and legal context, the main concerns relate to motherhood determination, the notion of social individuality, its association with genetic manipulation and all the issues accompanying it, the risk of opening the door to more dangerous practices, the potential discrimination toward existing individuals suffering with mitochondrial diseases, the fact that the same outcome -preventing the transmission of mitochondrial diseases -can be achieved by means of less risky procedures, and the modification of the genetic pool of humanity. However, most of the underlined risks are more uncertain than actual, and, indeed, natural to every new technique. Considering the major benefits offered by the procedure, and as long as we act under the auspices of the principles of precaution and prevention, there are no obstacles to the transference of mitochondrial material through artificial reproductive techniques.