Proceedings of the 41st International Academic Conference, Venice

MITOCHONDRIAL DONATION – ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE

MONIKA MICHAŁOWSKA

Abstract:

In February 2018 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in the United Kingdom granted the first license for mitochondrial donation, which is a permission to create an embryo through in vitro fertilization technique using mitochondria donated by another woman. It will allow a woman with mitochondrial disease to have healthy offspring. The issue rose significant interest in March 2015 when UK government legalized the technique being the only country in the world to offer mitochondrial donation to patients legally. Since then the debate on mitochondrial donation has become one of the most heated and controversial issues in the area of artificial reproduction. To shed some light on ethical and social aspects of mitochondrial donation, in my presentation I will investigate the arguments formulated by the opponents and proponents of the technique. In particular, I will analyze the ‘three-parent baby’ argument, the possible implications for the society, the potential implications for the future child’s identity, the potential violation of the child’s right to open future, the question of revealing the donor’s identity to the child upon his/her request.

Keywords: ‘three-parent baby’ argument, implications for the society, implications for the child’s identity, child’s right to open future, the right to know

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2018.041.024

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