Il primo bebé venuto al mondo grazie a una tecnica sperimentale che consiste nell'utilizzo del DNA di due donne nell'embrione, allo scopo di evitare la trasmissione di una malattia ereditaria (nel caso specifico la sindrome di Leigh che causa degenerazione del sistema nervoso centrale), è nato in aprile. Ne aveva dato notizia la rivista britannica New Scientist e ne svela ora i retroscena l'American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
L'équipe medica internazionale del dottor John Zhang del centro New Hope Fertility di New York ha operato il concepimento in Messico, perché negli Stati Uniti la legge non lo autorizza. Il materiale genetico della madre è stato inserito nell'ovulo di una donatrice, poi fecondato con lo sperma del padre e impiantato nella donna. I genitori, giordani, avevano già perso due bambini a causa della malattia trasmessa loro dalla mamma.
La notizia è stata accolta tiepidamente dalla comunità scientifica: non sono in pochi a pensare che la tecnica, poco testata anche con gli animali, presenti rischi imprevedibili.
pon/ATS
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