Mitochondrial Transfer (Three-Parent Children) Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Mitochondrial Transfer (Three-Parent Children)

Jim Dobbin Excerpts
Wednesday 12th March 2014

(10 years, 8 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Jacob Rees-Mogg Portrait Jacob Rees-Mogg
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That is a risk, and there are others. Already in the United States a different price is charged depending on the educational qualifications of the donor. There are worries about eugenics, a point I was going to come on to.

Jim Dobbin Portrait Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab/Co- op)
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The head of the United States Food and Drug Administration advisory committee on this matter, Evan Snyder, has said that there are not enough clinical data to suggest that mitochondrial transfer is safe. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the present UK regulator and the UK Government should be cautious in approaching this technique?

Jacob Rees-Mogg Portrait Jacob Rees-Mogg
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I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for that point. That is at the heart of the issue.