Mitochondrial Replacement: Social and Policy Considerations

Mitochondrial replacement techniques involve manipulating an egg cell to replace the diseased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the mother with healthy mtDNA from a donor. Such methods prevent transmission of mitochondrial disease to the eventual child.

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine assembled an expert panel to consider the issues raised by the technique and to decide whether it is ethically permissible to continue clinical investigations.

In March 2016, the “Committee on Ethical and Social Policy Considerations of Novel Techniques for Prevention of Maternal Transmission of Mitochondrial DNA Diseases” held a meeting to publicly discuss the report detailing their analysis and recommendations, available here.

Watch video from the meeting below: