Posted on 07/26/2012 3:32:35 PM PDT by NYer
NEW JERSEY July 26, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A controversial IVF method resulting in 3-parent babies has recently been debated in the UK, but according to reports brought to light by Dr. Joseph Mercola of the health website Mercola.com, the technique has already been used in the US as far back as 1997.
The birth of these genetically-modified children was indicated in a 2001 report issued by the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science of Saint Barnabas (IRMS), New Jersey, so the children are now over 10 years old.
The IVF process involves transferring the ooplasm of a healthy donor egg into a flawed, or “compromised” maternal egg, which may cause the resulting child to have the DNA of the father, the mother, and the donor.
“Based on what I’ve learned about the genetic engineering of plants,” said Mercola, “I’m inclined to say the ramifications [of this process] could potentially be vast, dire, and completely unexpected.”
The IRMS report stated that 12 “clinical pregnancies” were “obtained” by using the technique, and mtDNA fingerprinting showed that two of the children were born with genetic material from the donor. The report declared that, “in addition to maternal mtDNA, there was a small portion of donor mtDNA observed in their blood.” In other words, both of the children have one genetic father and two genetic mothers.
A later report on the 3-parent children, entitled Cytoplasmic transfer: the risks?, was made at the 2003 World Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynecology & Infertility in Berlin.
“Mitochondria are maternally inherited,” the report stated, “so if the child is female, the mixture of mitochondria is supposed pass to future generations” (sic). Thus even if no more 3-parent babies are born, the altered DNA can now be passed on.
“One of the most shocking considerations here,” declared Dr. Mercola, “is that this was done—repeatedly—even though no one knows what the ramifications of having the genetic traits of three parents might be for the individual, or for their subsequent offspring.”
The Oxford Journal states that “several IVF clinics” have used this type of cytoplasmic transfer.
“As it turns out, this type of genetic modification, called cytoplasmic transfer, is actually a hot topic among geneticists,” Mercola pointed out, “but it’s rarely published or discussed in the lay press.”
The Hastings Centre, a leading bioethical research institution, has presented a power-point entitled Ethical Issues in Human Ooplasm Transfer Experimentation, which outlines the numerous unknowns of the process, including the lack of adequate testing and monitoring of the 3-parent children.
The 2003 Berlin report declared that, 18 months after their birth, one of the babies has been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
“So it didn’t take long—less than two years, in fact—for reports of ‘unpredictable outcomes’ to crop up,” Dr. Mercola stated. “I for one am not surprised. It’s somewhat disconcerting that so much of this research is taking place without open discussion about the ethical questions associated with it.”
Gotta wonder how the parents respond when the child inquires into their parental heritage.
If it was done because some selfish woman wanted a “pet baby” without a husband or man around, it’s wrong. If it was done to help an infertile hetro couple, then when the time came, explain it to the teen.
Twisting the human gene pool is a risky and serious change for all of humanity. I don’t trust humanists to be ethical around issues of human life and they should not make these decisions behind closed doors.
I knew he'd say that.
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“One of the most shocking considerations here,” declared Dr. Mercola, “is that this was done—repeatedly—even though no one knows what the ramifications of having the genetic traits of three parents might be for the individual, or for their subsequent offspring.”
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I for one find that nether shocking nor ethically troubling. There is nothing unethical about bring a child into the world no matter his disability. To exist in itself no matter how short a time is its own reward.
Regrettably, given the disposition of the human race, genetic tampering like this will become increasingly essential for our survival.
Whoever thought up this fckued-up idea needs an ass-kicking.
Just my $.02.
I’m not sure I would tell the child in either case, unless their was a medical reason to do so.
With us humans who your parents are is less a matter of your genetics than your raising. As a species we have less diversity than a group of chimpanzees.(Our genetic parents could almost be anyone)
What we learn/observe from those who raise us dominates who and what we are as individuals relative to the rest of the world.
I don’t care anymore, I uses to but now I realist given our cultures intolerance for natural selection. The Survival of our civilization will hinge upon our ability to correct for genetic drift.
Otherwise natural drift will leave us with an ever larger share of the population with real genetic disabilities.
As for enhancements, once again don’t care. What one set of parents consider to be an enhancement is no different than passing on their cultural values. Your talking about a small minority that are going to create freaks, freaks that will no doubt end with one generation having no other freaks from which to sustain a population.
Neither scenario is acceptable, the “selfish” woman or the couple being “helped”. No one has any business playing God like this, regardless of their rationale.
Ethics and “science” rarely seem to mix any more.
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That has to be the most singularly nonsensical statement that I have ever read in my life.
Genetic tampering is the greatest hazard that the human race faces.
It means that he thinks that the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” was a genius.
Um....what??
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