Webinar #110 - Dr Trevor Stammers - Mitochondrial Donation

Recorded on 7 July 2022 for ICMDA Webinars. Dr Peter Saunders chairs a discussion with Dr Trevor Stammers. Mitochondrial replacement techniques were legalised in the UK in 2015 and more recently in Australia in March 2022, ostensibly as a way to enable mothers with affected mitochondria to have genetically related children without fear of passing onto them the risk of severe mitochondrial diseases. The webinar will explain these techniques, explore the controversies surrounding their legalisation and use and critique the capture of language in promoting them to the public. It will raise questions about why they might be being promoted and whether they really work. Finally, we consider if they are ethical and explore some scriptural reflections on their use. Dr Trevor Stammers is Editor of The New Bioethics journal. He was formerly Associate Professor of Bioethics and Medical Law at St Mary's University and was a family doctor for 27 years before going into academia. To listen live to future ICMDA webinars, visit https://icmda.net/resources/webinars/