British House of Commons approves creation of "three-person babies"

Britain becomes the first country in the world to introduce laws allowing the creation of "three-person babies" after Members of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons approved mitochondrial donation Tuesday.

In a free vote on Tuesday afternoon in the Commons, 382 MP's voted in favor of the creation of babies with DNA from two women and one man, while 128 others voted against the technique, according to BBC reports.

The technique, which was developed in Newcastle, aims at helping people who suffer from mitochondrial disease. Mitochondria are the tiny energy-producing compartments inside cells, however, around one in 6,500 babies develop serious mitochondrial disorders worldwide.

Mitochondrial disorders, which are passed down exclusively from the mother, can lead to brain damage, muscular atrophy, heart failure and blindness.

Reports said the new technique can modify defective mitochondria by combining the DNA of a man and a woman with the healthy mitochondria of a donor woman. The technique is carried out by In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

Although the babies carry three people's DNA, the percentage of the woman donor's DNA only accounts for 0.1 percent of the genetic makeup, reports said.

It said the first such baby is expected to be born next year, upon the House of Lords' approval of the proposed new laws. About 150 British couples would benefit from the technique each year.

"This is a bold step for parliament to take, but it is a considered and informed step. This is world-leading science within a highly-respected regulatory regime. And for the many families affected, this is a light at the end of a very dark tunnel," Jane Ellison, Minister of Public Health said during the Commons debate.

However, the technique has been put under a microscope and has raised fierce discussion. The BBC said British Nobel Prize-winning scientists and 40 leading scientists from 14 countries supported the technique, but some religious groups said the idea was not safe or ethical. As well, some public interest watchdog groups worry the new measures would lead to the emergence of designer babies. Endit