The announcement last week that scientists have developed a new procedure that could eventually help women with dysfunctional mitochondria made headline news across the world. The new procedure consisted in removing the two pronuclei (containing the nuclear DNA from the sperm and egg) from a one cell embryo (just after fertilisation) affected by dysfunctional mitochondria, and then transferring this material into a second embryo, with healthy mitochondria, which had been emptied of its own nuclear material.
But, as with most new developments relating to embryology, a number of important ethical issues arise with this procedure which need to be examined before it is ever contemplated in clinical treatment. These include a number of biomedical challenges that must be addressed relating to the safety and efficacy of the procedure. Secondly, a significant ethical question would arise if any human embryos are destroyed during this procedure. But perhaps one of the most fundamental questions which arises through this new procedure is the fact that more than two individuals are participating in the creation of human life.
A broad societal discussion concerning the relationship between being a creator and parenthood while trying to understand these parent-child bonds is, therefore, necessary when the creation of human life by novel means is contemplated. After all, it is because these creator-creature bonds are seen as extremely important by many couples that they are seeking fertility treatment and making sure that they have a child 'of their own.' BioNews
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