LifeNews shares news of a disturbing scientific advancement. Three-person IVF “creates embryos from two women and one man to prevent life-threatening disorders.” In short, this endeavor ultimately seeks to prevent certain babies from being born, namely those that would suffer from various mitochondrial diseases. In pondering the ethics of this practice, Dr. Peter Saunders notes,
Is it ethical? No, there are huge ethical issues. A large number of human eggs will be needed for the research, involving ‘harvesting’ that is both risky and invasive for women donors. How many debt-laden students or desperate infertile women will be exploited and incentivised by being offered money or free IVF treatment in return for their eggs? How many thousands of human embryos will be destroyed? If it ever works, what issues of identity confusion will arise in children with effectively three biological parents? What does preventing those with mitochondrial disease being born say about how we value people already living with the condition? Where will this selection end?