FDA to Consider 'Three Parent Babies'

It may seem like something from a science fiction novel, but a child having three biological parents may not be too far away.

On Tuesday, health officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) met for a two-day meeting to discuss this controversial proposal that would essentially involve a technique using the creation of an embryo with genetic material from three distinct individuals.

The initial research for this proposal involved a type of in vitro fertilization that combined three distinct DNA sources from three different parent monkeys by researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University. At this time, they are currently waiting for FDA approval to test the technique on humans.

Research regarding the topic is being conducted in order to possibly prevent the inheritance of certain genetic diseases that can be passed from mother to child. However, numerous ethical problems concern many involving the possibilities.

While those in favor of the proposal are primarily focused on the potential benefits of the technique, many opponents said they fear that a "slippery slope" could lead to "designer babies" when using this practice.

"We want to replace these mutated genes, which by nature have become pathogenic to humans," said Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov, via the Associate Press (AP), who presented information at the FDA discussion regarding the proposal. "We're reversing them back to normal, so I don't understand why you would be opposing that."

Dr. Mitalipov, a researcher from the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, also attended the discussion. "It does initially look like something you would want to support," said Marcy Darnovsky PhD, the Executive Director of the Center for Genetics and Society. "But the safety concerns and the social and ethical concerns are really overriding."

What do you think?