#110 Mitochondrial Donation
With Dr Trevor Stammers
Mitochondrial replacement techniques were legalised in the UK in 2015 and more recently in Australia in March 2022, ostensibly as a way to enable mothers with affected mitochondria to have genetically related children without fear of passing onto them the risk of severe mitochondrial diseases.
The webinar will explain these techniques, explore the controversies surrounding their legalisation and use and critique the capture of language in promoting them to the public.
It will raise questions about why they might be being promoted and whether they really work. Finally, we consider if they are ethical and explore some scriptural reflections on their use.
Further resources:
- 'Maeve's Law' passes Senate hurdle to legalising mitochondrial donation through IVF, Center for Genetics and Society
- Lyndsey Craven, Julie Murphy, Doug M. Turnbull, Robert W. Taylor, Grainne S. Gorman & Robert McFarland (2018) Scientific and Ethical Issues in Mitochondrial Donation, The New Bioethics, 24:1, 57-73
- Donna L. Dickenson (2013) The Commercialization of Human Eggs in Mitochondrial Replacement Research, The New Bioethics, 19:1, 18-29
- Jessica Cussins & Leah Lowthorp (2018) Germline Modification and Policymaking: The Relationship between Mitochondrial Replacement and Gene Editing, The NewBioethics, 24:1, 74-94
Dr Trevor Stammers
Dr Trevor Stammers was Editor of The New Bioethics journal. He was formerly Associate Professor of Bioethics and Medical Law at St Mary's University and was a family doctor for 27 years before going into academia. His latest book is
The Ethics of Global Organ Acquisition.
