Mexico: Doctor describes process for 3 DNA baby
(29 Sep 2016) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY Mexico City - 28 September 2016 1. Doctor Dr. Alejandro Chavez Badiola of the New Hope Fertility Centre during interview describing procedure in new technique that combines DNA from three people — the mother, the father and an egg donor - in birth of baby 2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Dr. Alejandro Chavez Badiola, New Hope Fertility Centre: "The problem that this baby's siblings had, and the reason why they died, was mitochondrial illnesses, that is, illnesses related to some structures of the cytoplasm. What we did was to extract the nucleus from a donated ovum, to place the mother's genetic material inside the cytoplasm. Once this step was successful the egg was fertilised with the sperm from the father. In that way, the child has genetic material from the father, the mother and 0.01 percent of the DNA of the mitochondria is from a donor but the baby has a father, a mother and nothing else." 3. Cutaway 4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Dr. Alejandro Chavez Badiola, New Hope Fertility Centre: "The mother was constantly giving us positive signs saying that this was 'a different pregnancy' (to the previous pregnancies in which the babies died), 'it is moving differently, I feel it differently'. 'Since he was born he's been a different baby.' Nonetheless, were are conducting all the tests/studies that need to be done and the follow up must be done. I want to believe that everything will go well. However, this is not enough; we need the evidence that everything will be fine and that is the reason for all the follow-ups." 5. Cutaway 6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Dr. Alejandro Chavez Badiola, New Hope Fertility Centre: "Yes, there are always ethical questions. Now, if we think that if this treatment had not been done, for whatever reason, this couple very likely would have had another baby that died as a consequence of these (genetic problems), I think it is much easier to see where the dilemma is and for me, we are saving a life and so it is ethically justified to save this life." 7. Cutaway 8 . SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Dr. Alejandro Chavez Badiola, New Hope Fertility Centre: "I hope that the label 'three parent in-vitro treatment' is removed soon because I believe it detracts from the technique. I think it is confusing and in countries like Mexico, where religion is an issue, it can create a negative opinion for a process which I believe is wonderful." 9. Badiola speaking during interview 10. Various exteriors of the New Hope Fertility Centre ++NIGHT SHOT++ STORYLINE: Dr. Alejandro Chavez Badiola of the New Hope Fertility Centre in Mexico City on Wednesday explained to AP the process used in the birth of the first baby using a controversial new technique that combines DNA from three people. As well as that of the mother and father, the DNA of an egg donor was also used. The goal was to prevent the child from inheriting a fatal genetic disease from his mother, who had previously lost two children to the illness. The technique involved removing some of the mother's DNA from an egg, and leaving the disease-causing DNA behind. The healthy DNA was slipped into a donor's egg, which was then fertilised. As a result, the baby inherited DNA from both parents and the egg donor. The technique is sometimes said to produce "three-parent babies", but the DNA contribution from the egg donor is very small. Dr. Badiola specified that "the child has genetic material from the father, the mother and 0.1 percent of the DNA of the mitochondria is from a donor". The birth of the boy is revealed in a research summary published by the journal Fertility & Sterility. Scientists are scheduled to present details at a meeting next month in Salt Lake City. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/310e1f03ed76e9566379e1a300206548 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork