Techniques exist that allow faulty material in a mother's ovum to be replaced by healthy material from a donor's ovum. This is being considered today by British MPs to make a law allowing it or not. The graphic at this link explains the technique
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/6290700/gif/_62907355_pnt_slide1_624x398_2.gif
Considerations:-
1 The genetic information from the mother is preserved, but something like 0.1 % is modified by the removal of the unhealthy material and the new material to be added. A healthy baby will result from fertilisation and implantation, similar to IVF. In cases of herditary trasmission, this chain will then be broken.
2 The genetic material from the donor is destroyed. Most religions oppose the destruction of a human embryo, although that may be thought to be invalid, being as that occurs regularly during menstruation.
3 If it allowed for one donor, then why not two, or even more, for cases where one donor does not rectify all the problems? It also opens up the possibility of being able to choose the desirable characteristics of the future baby. This could create considerabl legal difficulties as regards who are the parents, even if the Law allows the actual technique to be practised
4 In short, whilst the technique does not use the term, genetic manipulation is being practised.
What do you think about it?
