Church leaders voice grave concern as UK government votes to allow three parent babies

Houses of Parliament - ICN

The UK is set to become the first country in the world to introduce laws allowing the creation of babies from three people. In a free vote in the Commons today, 382 MPs were in favour and 128 against the technique that scientists argue will stop genetic diseases being passed from mother to child.

During the debate, Public Health Minister Jane Ellison told the House: "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 light at the end of a very dark tunnel."

Fiona Bruce, MP for Congleton, said: "will be passed down generations, the implications of this simply cannot be predicted. But one thing is for sure, once this alteration has taken place, as someone has said, once the gene is out of the bottle, once these procedures that we're asked to authorise today go ahead, there will be no going back for society."

Robert Flello, who represents Stoke-on-Trent South, said he feared "families will be let down tragically" due to the uncertainties in the technique and that society would be "up in arms" if this was a proposal for genetically modified crops."

Following today's vote, Bishop John Keenan, the Bishop of Paisley said: "The proposed techniques fail on a number of ethical grounds which should concern us all: They destroy human life, since in order to construct a disease free embryo, two healthy ones will have to be destroyed. The technique is not a treatment, it does not cure anyone or anything, rather it seeks to remove anyone affected by certain conditions from the human gene pool. Destroying those who have a particular disease and presenting it as a cure or as progress is utterly disingenuous and completely unethical.

No other country in the world has licensed these procedures. A majority of responses to the Department of Health consultation opposed the proposal. Experts are divided on the advisability of the techniques and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) have suggested only that the procedures are "not unsafe".

Mitochondrial Donation completely destroys and distorts the natural process of fertility. It is surprising that a society which increasingly favours and supports natural and "environmentally friendly” products and services should countenance the genetic modification of human beings. How can we object when scientists genetically modify plants but not when they do the same with people?"

Bishop John Sherrington on behalf of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales said: "Despite the genuine and considerable concerns of many people, the decision of Parliament is clear on this issue. Whilst the Church recognises the suffering that mitochondrial diseases bring and hopes that alternative methods of treatment can be found, it remains opposed on principle to these procedures where the destruction of human embryos is part of the process. This is about a human life with potential, arising from a father and a mother, being used as disposable material. The human embryo is a new human life with potential; it should be respected and protected from the moment of conception and not used as disposable material."

See also:
ICN 30 January 2015 - Catholic and Anglican church leaders oppose 'three parent babies' www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=26605

 ICN 29 January 2015 - Urgent call to action on GM babies
www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=26597