About the project

This project will identify and examine ethical issues relevant to the clinical use of experimental techniques to prevent the transmission of inherited mitochondrial disorders, in particular pronuclear transfer (PNT) and maternal spindle transfer (MST). These are not currently permitted for use in treatment in the UK.

The Council aims to contribute information and insight on ethical issues arising from the use of these techniques via a short report which will be published in spring/summer 2012. The findings of the project are intended to stimulate and inform deliberation and debate among the public, professional groups, regulators, policymakers and Parliamentarians.

The emerging techniques1 which the project primarily examines could be used in combination with in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and gamete donation to prevent children from being born with inherited mitochondrial disorders. At present, there are no known cures for these disorders, which can have mentally and physically disabling symptoms and may cause death in babies, children and young people. Approximately one in 250 live births2,  and at least one in 10,000 adults in the UK are affected3. 

1These techniques have been collectively referred to as ‘mitochondrial donation’ or ‘mitochondrial transfer’. There does not yet appear to be a consistently or commonly-used term by which to refer to them.

2Elliott HR, Samuels DC, Eden JA et al. (2008)Pathogenic mitochondrial DNA mutations are common in the general population The American  Journal of  Human Genetics 83: 254-60; Vandebona H, Mitchell P, Manwaring N et al. (2009) Prevalence of mitochondrial 1555A-->G mutation in adults of European descent New England Journal of Medicine 360: 642-4; Bitner-Glindzicz M, Pembrey M, Duncan A et al. (2009) Prevalence of mitochondrial 1555A-->G mutation in European children New England Journal of Medicine 360: 640-2.

3Schaefer AM, McFarland R, Blakely EL et al. (2008) Prevalence of mitochondrial DNA disease in adults Annals of Neurology  63:35-9