Mitochondrial Replacement: Ethics and Identity.

Stephen Wilkinson,John B. Appleby,Anthony Wrigley

doi:10.1111/bioe.12187

Abstract

Mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs) have the potential to allow prospective parents who are at risk of passing on debilitating or even life‐threatening mitochondrial disorders to have healthy children to whom they are genetically related. Ethical concerns have however been raised about these techniques. This article focuses on one aspect of the ethical debate, the question of whether there is any moral difference between the two types of MRT proposed: Pronuclear Transfer (PNT) and Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST). It examines how questions of identity impact on the ethical evaluation of each technique and argues that there is an important difference between the two. PNT, it is argued, is a form of therapy based on embryo modification while MST is, instead, an instance of selective reproduction. The article's main ethical conclusion is that, in some circumstances, there is a stronger obligation to use PNT than MST.

Highlights

Mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs) have the potential to allow prospective parents who are at risk of passing on mitochondrial disorders to have healthy children to whom they are genetically related
This article focuses on one aspect of the ethical debate, the question of whether there is any moral difference between the two types of MRT proposed: Pronuclear Transfer (PNT) and Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST)
This article focuses on just one aspect of the ethical debate, the question of whether there is any moral difference between the two types of MRT proposed: Pronuclear Transfer (PNT) and Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs) have the potential to allow prospective parents who are at risk of passing on mitochondrial disorders to have healthy children to whom they are genetically related. Ethical concerns have been raised about these techniques.[1] This article focuses on just one aspect of the ethical debate, the question of whether there is any moral difference between the two types of MRT proposed: Pronuclear Transfer (PNT) and Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST). Identity impact on the ethical evaluation of each technique and argues that there is an important difference between the two. The paper’s main ethical conclusion is that, in some circumstances, there may be a stronger obligation to utilise PNT than to use MST

MITOCHONDRIAL DISORDERS AND MITOCHONDRIAL REPLACEMENT TECHNIQUES

ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS

Human Dignity and Eugenics

CONCLUSION