The debate in Bioethics The UK paves the way for germline disorders
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Abstract
The UK Government is in position to grant the germ-line gene therapy fy mitochondria replacement to avoiding hereditary transmission of serious diseases. This article shows the techniques, in all their details, and make clear that them may be used in addition to prenatal testing and selective abortion. The techniques involve the sacrifice of two embryos. They are not only destructive, but this means treating nascent human life as building material, and the resulting embryo would have two genetic mothers.
The Catholic Church position in Donum Vitae and Dignitas Personae says that human life is to be respected and protected as personal from the time of fertilization. The child-to-be is a member of the human family and a gift from God to be uncondi- tionally welcome. Never has come to be treated as a commodity created to satisfy adult desire.
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References
2 HUMAN FERTILISATION AND EMBRYOLOGY AUTHORITY (HFEA). Mitochondria repla- cement consultation: advice to the Government. London, 2013.
3 HFEA. Mitochondria replacement consultation..., párrafos 6.64-6.67, 6.75 (resu- midos también en: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/7796.html).
4 CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH. Instruction "Donum vitae" on respect for human life in its origin and on the dignity of procreation (febrero 22,1987).
5 ID. Instruction "Dignitas Personae" on certain bioethical questions (septiembre 8, 2008), para. 26.
6 NUFFIELD COUNCIL ON BIOETHICS. Novel techniques for..., párrafos, 2.1-2.3, pp. 32- 34; HFEA. Mitochondria replacement consultation... , Annex VIII: Scientific Re- view of the safety and Efficacy of Methods to avoid Mitochondrial Disease through Assisted Conception: Update, párrafos. 2.1-2.1.3.
7 IBID.
8 BENEDICT XVI. Encyclical Letter "Caritas in Veritate" (junio 29, 2009), párrafo. 74.