Kent reproductive law expert Dr Kirsty Horsey welcomes a parliamentary vote on legalising mitochondrial donation techniques but cautions against use of \u2018three parent\u2019 terminology.<\/p>\n
Commenting in response to the article, \u2018Legalise three-parent babies, say Nobel winners<\/a>\u2019 in The Times<\/em> today, Dr Horsey said: \u2018The Parliamentary vote on regulations to allow mitochondrial donation, potentially making the UK the world\u2019s first country to legalise this life-changing treatment, is excellent news for carriers of mitochondrial diseases, who previously have had to leave their children\u2019s health to chance, and cope with extreme sickness and even death of their children.<\/p>\n \u2018This is a progressive step in both science and \u2013 should it happen \u2013 law. Other embryo screening techniques are already used in IVF to allow some parents to give birth to healthy children free from certain serious conditions. We also allow people to use sperm or egg donors, or surrogates, for the same reason, among others.<\/p>\n \u2018We should note that this process has been thoroughly ethically reviewed, and steer clear of the \u2018three parents\u2019 or \u2018three mothers\u2019 label, remembering that this is a technique that allows women the chance to bring a healthy child into the world.\u2019<\/p>\n Dr Horsey, a Senior Law Lecturer at Kent Law School, has research expertise in the regulation of human reproduction and genetic technologies. She has recently secured funding to investigate surrogacy law in practice<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dr Horsey\u2018s latest book, Revisiting the Regulation of Human Fertilisation and Embryology<\/em>, is due for publication by Routledge in June.<\/p>\n For more details of Dr Horsey\u2019s research interests and publications, visit her staff profile page<\/a>.<\/p>\n