Multiple Individuals Now Carry DNA from Three Biological Parents
Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy (MRT), also known as "three-parent IVF," is an innovative germline technique that has the potential to revolutionize the field of reproductive medicine. This experimental procedure replaces faulty mitochondria in an embryo with healthy mitochondria from a donor, aiming to prevent mitochondrial diseases.
As of 2025, MRT has achieved regulatory approvals in some countries and has resulted in the birth of eight healthy babies. These births, all showing normal development so far, mark a significant milestone in the evolution of MRT from early experimental research to successful clinical treatments.
However, MRT is not yet a fully established treatment. In the UK, where it has been legally permitted since around 2015, MRT is conducted under strict clinical research conditions. Studies show that MRT can produce viable embryos and reduce transmission of mitochondrial diseases, but not always eliminate them entirely. The health impacts on children born via MRT are still under close observation, with concerns about potential reversion (increase in faulty mitochondria over time) and limited testing scope across different tissues.
The importance of MRT lies in its potential to prevent severe inherited mitochondrial diseases, which can cause debilitating or fatal conditions affecting energy metabolism. It represents a novel germline intervention that could reduce the burden of mitochondrial disorders and improve reproductive choices for affected families.
However, MRT also raises ethical questions. The resulting child inherits nuclear DNA from both parents but mitochondrial DNA from a third person (the donor), challenging traditional notions of genetic parentage and raising questions about identity and lineage. Ethical debates focus on the manipulation of embryos and germline modification with unknown long-term risks to offspring and future generations. Critics emphasize the experimental nature of MRT, highlighting the incomplete understanding of the stability of mitochondrial replacement and potential health effects. There are also concerns about “slippery slope” implications for more extensive germline editing, informed consent complexities, and equitable access to such advanced reproductive technologies.
In conclusion, MRT is a cutting-edge but still experimental technology with significant potential to prevent mitochondrial disease, accompanied by important scientific uncertainties and profound ethical debates about germline modification and identity that continue to influence its regulatory and clinical acceptance. As research continues and more data becomes available, the future of MRT and its role in preventing inherited mitochondrial diseases remains an exciting and important area of study.
[1] Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy: A Review. Journal of Genetic Counseling (2022). [2] Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy: The Ethical Debate. Bioethics (2022). [3] Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy: Current Status and Future Prospects. Reproductive BioMedicine Online (2021). [4] Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy: A New Hope for Families Affected by Mitochondrial Diseases. The Lancet (2020).
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