UK welcomes successful births of first infants through DNA mixing technique to prevent rare genetic diseases

United Kingdom — The UK’s fertility regulator has confirmed the launch of a new experimental technique that uses a combination of DNA from three different people in an effort to prevent rare genetic illnesses being passed on to children.

The new method prevents mitochondrial faults which account for around one in 200 UK-born babies. Genetic faults in the mitochondria can result in a range of serious medical conditions, including epilepsy, intellectual disabilities and heart complications.

Fewer than five UK babies have so far been born in this way using in vitro fertilisation. The news was first reported in The Guardian newspaper.