We are watching the fall of civilization right now. We are micro-managing everything, including life. If a birth defect affects one in 6,500 and results in death, isn´t that God´s will? So, one baby in 6,500 doesn´t naturally survive. What about the millions of healthy babies that are being killed every day via abortion? God created failsafes for living beings that weren´t created the right way. That is why people have miscarriages. We don´t need to be mixing and matching pieces of other people´s DNA to try to avert this kind of thing. We also don´t need to be killing off healthy fetuses as a means of birth control.

Why does today´s society do everything for the smallest minority without taking into consideration the consequences to the rest of society???

Now we are diminished to the level of dogs or race horses... bred for best results. When there is no God, there is no morals, no ethics, no aspirations, no hope.

The juxtaposition of this with the horrible stories today of the many beautiful babies who fell victim to post birth murder in the name of "choice" makes me very, very sad.

No. Don´t go there.

"It´s not nice to fool Mother Nature!"

The inevitable outcome of the collectivist state: procreation by committee.

Throw in the pet dog and a little mental illness and wa la.

That is sick and twisted. When is enough enough ?

I understand the use of genetics in preventing or healing horrible diseases, but seriously? The human genome is so vast and delicate that to try something like this with our limitations would be the very definition of folly and ruin. Medicine was characterized by a moral code for a reason. The Nazi´s human experiments were rightly judged as atrocities for a reason.

I can remember when Bush would not allow federal funding for embryonic stem cell research...the liberal squalls were heard for years until the private research showed horrible mutations on test subjects as a result of embryonic injections. Haven´t heard a peep from progressives since then.
And that was using cells with known qualities already.
Experimenting with human DNA? God help us.

"Genetic power is the most awesome force the planet´s ever seen, but you wield it like a kid that´s found his dad´s gun."
Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jurassic Park)

Uh oh! Wait´ll the people who believe that LIFE begins at CONCEPTION and anything that intentionally interferes with it after is MURDER get wind of this one.

If you study this mitochondrial technique closely, you see that the DONOR egg is fertilized with the husband´s sperm, which means CONCEPTION, and therefore, LIFE, but then the NUCLEI of the donor egg are removed, meaning that CONCEPTION is intentionally terminated, and therefore, MURDERED.

Simply stated, three-person IVF is the only form of reproduction whose success is predicated on ABORTION.

Now, there´s a how-de-do.

It seems inevitable. At least - as I understand it - the people will get healthy, wanted, babies.

But it will be another step toward designing babies.

And soon the state will become interested in what designs are chosen. Because there is no way that government run medicine will not try to dictate the nature of DNA modifications.

Huxly´s "Brave new world" in the making?
Genetically modified babies? What are the consequences of the scions of GM´d children?
IMHO, these scientists are not looking before they leap.
Suggestion. Has anyone thought of Adoption?
One other thought. Are we going to have Patented births? Like monsanto GM´s corn varieties? and all the commotion when pollen fron the GM´d corn falls on unGM´s corn?
Don´t mess with the Almighty´s creations.

I wonder what will happen if they ever find a "gay" gene, and develop the capability to modify it?

I don´t believe one exists, but it is thought provoking to consider how people in some quarters would react to genetic modification (correction?) for that, er, condition.

Is this the same UK health system that ignores, forgets, overlooks patients on gurneys in emergency rooms or elderly patients who need food, medicine, etc and then die from neglect?

There is nothing perfect in the world and the irony of all this "research" (more like Frankenstein style research) to save few who even if this is successful will eventually die anyway.

Perhaps Pope Francis was selected for more than the obvious reasons...

I´ve always heard that if you wake up in the hospital to see a big pink face hovering over your bed, dangling an ID badge that says "ethicist," keep your eyes steadily on him while you reach for your knife.

Now the "top" "ethicists" are saying, not only that you can get DNA from somebody other than your marriage partner to concoct a baby, but that you are IMMORAL if you don´t contract for the best DNA you can get.

Don´t reproduce with that nebbish of a husband, that 2nd rate wife. Get the best gametes money can buy.

The ones that don´t work out? Well, what would YOU do ith a failed science project?

In the year of our Ford. Can someone save us from this Brave New World.

The Brits were sure of their research when the Thalidomide (sp?) babies were born without arms and legs.

The selfishness of these mothers who insist on using their own flawed eggs is incredible....

Get over "yourselves"....

LZK

B/c many muscle wasting defects are linked to mitochondrial DNA defects, this represents not some Mormonesque three-way, but rather a rationale non-destructive ´surgery´ to give life. ignorance at full gallop in these comments.

You stupid mortal Brits should have been satisfied with Dolly the sheep. But you have to mess with creation now.
You idiots should know a ´mad hatter´ in Germany tried this in the 1940s, His name? Well, look it up.

I remember when the Brits attempted to lead civilization rather than destroy it.

#17, this is not a science achievement, this is an ethics nightmare.

No human being should be brought into existence as non-consenting experimental subject.

Pay attention.

Truly frightening!

If a person can change their sex by the way they feel, why can´t I change my race? My birth certificte says white male, but I really feel like an oppressed black female. In the 70´s my 1300 SAT couldn´t get me into Northwestern U, but as a black female I would have qualified for a full scholarship. I am oppressed!

This is actually an amazing medical development which could have positive implications in other areas,
as so many advances in medical and pharmacology advances do.
Are there bioethical problems? Absolutely.
Implications that would trouble the pro life community ? Absolutely.
The technology, which is supposed to be 3 to 5 years in the future , both in the US and UK ,
could remove many excuses for abortion.
Obviously, the research requires more discussion and investigation and soul searching.
FTA-The HFEA has advised that any changes to the law should be only for the modification of mitochondria to overcome serious diseases
and that there should still be a ban on changes to the main nuclear DNA, which contains the vast majority of a person´s genetic code.

The UK will become the Island of Dr. Moreau.

Can we apply the Credit Card Theory to this one?

I´ll explain. A few decades ago, credit was actually frowned upon or at most, used in emergencies.

Then the credit card came out. Few but perhaps the traveling businessman used them for expense accounts.

Then they became easier to get. Then, you kind of needed them to get the things you really want. Then you HAD to have them, to get a rental car, etc.

Now, hard to get by without one.

How about we get to the point where you MUST have your baby designed and manipulated by machine for "optimal results", that is, if you want to be able to get insurance, get accepted into the right schools, the right job. I mean, who would want to employ someone that might, heaven forbid, have some sort of ISSUE!

It´s a creeping thing, just like credit cards.

If only these people´s brains would be used to produce humanity enriching break throughs. But alas, it is not to be. Ego and power is their drive.