from naturalnews.com: US fertility researchers from the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science of Saint Barnabas in New Jersey have created 30 healthy babies who have been genetically altered. It has been confirmed that two of these children have the DNA of three parents. The babies were created when women were treated for infertility by Professor Jacques Cohen and his team. Their eggs had defects in tiny structures in their egg cells called mitochondria. They had mitochondria from donor eggs inserted into these eggs, as well as DNA from sperm cells. The mitochondria contain DNA and therefore have carried the donor DNA into the egg. The babies will now pass on this genetic change to their children down the maternal line when they reproduce. Professor Cohen is regarded as a controversial but brilliant pioneer in the world of reproductive medicine. His work on helping infertile couples has resulted in advances in the ability to help infertile men have their own offspring, by inserting genetic material from sperm into egg cells so that donor sperm is not required. However, many see that some of his research, and some of his claims, to be a step too far, such as the claim that he could clone children. The technique used could allow the parents of a child to choose a third parent with traits they wish their children to have, such as being taller, and would open up the whole debate about the ethics of designer babies. As a species, we have to be very careful that our inventions, such as this technique, do not cause damage to the genes of our future descendants.

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The Age Of Transitions (Full Video)*
Designing Humanity – Genetic Engineering*
The Ethics of Genetically Engineering Children – Arthur Caplan (Full Video)*
Designer Babies – CNN*
Bioethics Of Human Genetic Engineering*
Reprogenetics*
The Challenge of Human Genetic Modification: Dr. Richard Hayes*
Prof. Stuart Newman on Human Genetic Modification*
We Have The Technology, Someone Will Use It*
Justice with Michael Sandel – CCCB: Bioethics: Designer children (TED:Michael Sandel)*
Designer Babies – Comments by Princeton professor Lee Silver*
Cloning the first Human – BBC Horizon*