Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has made of research published in <i>Nature</i> regarding mitochondrial and nuclear DNA matching shapes metabolism and healthy ageing; and how that assessment relates to the recommendations contained within guidance note 33.23 on the HFEA website.

The noble Lord appears to be referring to the recent work by Latorre-Pellicer et al (2016). The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that this research will be considered by the reconvened Expert Panel which will assess the safety and efficacy of mitochondrial donation techniques more widely.

The guidance referred to by the noble Lord refers to haplotype matching in the provision of mitochondrial donation treatment. At present, no clinics in the United Kingdom are licenced to provide such treatment. The HFEA has further advised that the research published in Nature is consistent with that guidance. The HFEA will continue to advise clinics to keep themselves up to date with the scientific research in this area.