A "three parent" technique aimed at preventing serious mitochondrial disease could be approved by the British government, it emerged yesterday.
Government advisers say that at first each individual treatment should be approved separately.
Doctors hope they can prevent diseases such as muscular dystrophy by using a technique as part of in vitro fertilisation.
It would replace the mother’s mitochondrial DNA with donated DNA – leading to accusations that a child would have three genetic parents.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority completed its consultation on the topic yesterday after conducting a consultation.
It says there is "broad" support for the use of the technique.
The HFEA said clinics should be separately licensed to use the technique.
HFEA chair Professor Lisa Jardine said: "We’ve found that there is broad support for permitting mitochondria replacement, to give families at risk of mitochondrial disease the chance of having a healthy child.
"Although some people have concerns about the safety of these techniques, we found that they trust the scientific experts and the regulator to know when it is appropriate to make them available to patients.”
A government spokesman said: “Mitochondrial disease, such as muscular dystrophy, can have a devastating impact on the people who inherit it. People who have it live with debilitating illness, and women who are affected face passing it on to their children.
“Scientists undertaking research have developed new procedures which could stop these diseases being passed on. But such procedures would not be allowed in treatment under current law, so we asked the HFEA to consult the public as to whether we should change the law."
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