Review of scientific methods to avoid mitochondrial disease 2011 (including 2013 update)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended) allows for regulations to be passed that will allow techniques, which alter the mitochondrial DNA of an egg or embryo, to be used in assisted conception to prevent the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease. In introducing this provision into the Act in 2008, the Government gave assurance that the power to make these regulations would only be considered once it was clear that the scientific procedures involved were effective and safe.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) agreed, in February 2011, to a request from the Secretary of State for Health to scope “expert views on the effectiveness and safety of mitochondrial transfer”. The Authority established a small panel, with broad-ranging expertise, to collate and summarise scientific evidence submitted from a wide range of experts in the field. The HFEA submitted a report of the panel’s findings to the Department of Health on 18 April 2011.
- Mitochondrial review - call for evidence (PDF 89kB)
- Letter to Department of Health regarding the review from Chair of the HFEA (PDF 83kB)
- Scientific review of the safety and efficacy of methods to avoid mitochondrial disease through assisted conception (PDF 540kB)
- Non-confidential written evidence submitted to the panel (PDF 3MB)
- Non-confidential minutes of scientific review workshop (PDF 75kB)
The Secretary of State will used this scientific review to inform his decision as to whether to hold a public consultation on introducing the regulations.
Membership of core panel
- Professor Neva Haites (co-chair), University of Aberdeen
- Dr Robin Lovell-Badge (co-chair), MRC National Institute for Medical Research
- Professor Peter Braude, Kings College London
- Professor Keith Campbell, University of Nottingham
- Professor Sir Richard Gardner
- Professor Anneke Lucassen, Human Genetics Commission
Terms of reference
The group will collate and summarise the current state of expert understanding on the safety and efficacy of methods to avoid mitochondrial disease through assisted conception.
2013 update
In December 2012, the Secretary of State for Health asked the HFEA to provide an updated view of the science to support the assessment of the efficacy and safety of the two mitochondria replacement techniques: pro-nuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer. The HFEA reconvened the core panel which reported on its updated advice in March 2013. This report will be submitted to the Department of Health alongside the advice regarding the public consultation findings, following discussion at an open Authority meeting on 20 March.
- Mitochondrial review - 2013 call for evidence (PDF 169kB)
- Scientific review of the safety and efficacy of methods to avoid mitochondrial disease through assisted conception: update (PDF 170kB)
- Non-confidential minutes of the panel’s 2013 discussions - part 1 (PDF 286kB)
- Non-confidential minutes of the panel’s 2013 discussions - part 2 (PDF 317kB)
Membership of reconvened core panel:
- Professor Neva Haites (chair), University of Aberdeen
- Professor Peter Braude, King’s College London
- Dr Paul De Sousa, University of Edinburgh
- Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, Medical Research Council National Institute for Medical Research
- Professor Anneke Lucassen, University of Southampton and formerly Human Genetics Commission
Terms of reference
The group will collate and summarise the current state of expert understanding on the safety and efficacy of maternal spindle transfer and pro-nuclear transfer in order to update their report of April 2011.
Page last updated: 25 March 2013