http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23608245

Reprod Biomed Online. 2013 Mar 26. pii: S1472-6483(13)00132-6. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2013.03.006. [Epub ahead of print]

The ethics of creating children with three genetic parents.

Baylis F.

Source

Novel Tech Ethics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Electronic address: francoise.baylis@dal.ca.

Abstract

This article on mitochondrial replacement technology briefly explains and defends the legitimacy of such terms as 'three-parent embryos', 'three-parent babies' and 'three-person IVF'. Next, it reviews select ethical objections to mitochondrial replacement technology that fall into four, sometimes overlapping, categories: (i) harms to egg providers; (ii) harms to potential offspring and future generations; (iii) harms to specific interest groups; and (iv) harms to society. Taken together, these ethical objections are cause for serious concern and yet the development and future use of mitochondrial replacement technology is likely inevitable.