Babies made from three people approved

The UK’s fertility regulator has approved the historic move to allow two women and one man to conceive a baby, despite its controversy.

Doctors in Newcastle, where the advanced form of IVF was first developed, are expected to be the first to offer the procedure and have already appealed for donor eggs.

Originally planned to prevent children being born with deadly genetic diseases, the first such child could be born by the end of 2017.

Some scientists have questioned the ethics of the technique, suggesting that it could ope to the door to genetically modified ‘designer’ babies. However, the HFEA has reassured that it must approve every clinic and every patient before the procedure can take place.

Sally Cheshire, chairwoman of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), said: “It is a decision of historic importance. This is about cautious go ahead, not gung-ho go ahead, and there is a long way to go. I'm sure patients will be really pleased by what we've decided.”

Prof Mary Herbert, from the Newcastle Fertility Centre, said: "It is enormously gratifying that our many years of research in this area can finally be applied to help families affected by these devastating diseases.

"Now that that we are moving forward towards clinical treatments, we will also need donors to donate eggs for use in treatment to prevent affected women transmitting disease to their children."

However, Dr David King, from the campaign group Human Genetics Alert, contested: "This decision opens the door to the world of genetically-modified designer babies. Already, bioethicists have started to argue that allowing mitochondrial replacement means that there is no logical basis for resisting GM babies, which is exactly how slippery slopes work."

Clinics can now apply to the HFEA for a licence to conduct three-person IVF. NHS England has agreed to fund the treatment costs of the first trial of three-person IVF for those women who meet the HFEA criteria, as long as they agree to long-term follow up of their children after they are born.