Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015

Debate between Viscount Ridley and Baroness Hollins

Tuesday 24th February 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hollins]

My Lords, I do not think that intervention is very helpful as it is not relevant to the point I am making. The issue of heteroplasmy was spoken about earlier, and it simply means two or more different mitochondrial DNA types coexisting in a single cell. The review panel concluded:

“These levels may still not be sufficient to cause her children to have a problem, but subsequent generations could be affected”.

In paragraph 4.3 the panel stresses that,

“it should be accepted that there will always be some risk and unknowns associated with the use of MST or PMT in humans until it is tried in practice”.

I understand that and agree with it.

One argument for agreeing the recommendations now is to enable the HFEA to license these techniques as soon as it is convinced that there is sufficient evidence of safety without then having to seek parliamentary approval, thus possibly delaying implementation. In 2008, Dr Evan Harris, the former Member for Oxford West and Abingdon, a champion of the 2008 Act, said:

“Safety is clearly a concern… If Parliament decides that it is not safe enough to allow the HFEA to consider licensing something, Parliament would not draft, confirm or pass the regulations”.—[Official Report, Commons, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill Committee, 3/6/08; col. 35.]

Agreeing the recommendations now seems to be putting the chicken before the egg. Supporters of the techniques—

[Viscount Ridley]

The noble Baroness made the point that heteroplasmy, and therefore the carryover of the diseased mitochondria, is possible under this technique. Does she agree that experiments show that the likelihood is less than 5%, whereas pre-implantation genetic diagnosis has it at up to 40%? That is a legal procedure, so we are talking about trying to legalise a safer procedure than something that is currently legal.

[Baroness Hollins]

Again, I do not think that is the point that I am trying to make. Maybe I am not being quite clear enough.