UK Scientists Looking for Donors Before ‘3-Parent Babies’ Vote in Lords

UK scientists are publishing ads offering 500 pounds ($700) to women willing to sell their eggs to become ‘second mothers’ to 3-parent babies, ahead of the final decision by the UK House of Lords on a law to allow the technique, local newspapers reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Newcastle University is reportedly said to be urgently looking “for fit, healthy women between the ages of 21-35 years old who are willing to donate their eggs.” The donors are offered 500 pounds in compensation for a completed donation cycle.

The advertisement was published ahead of the final vote of the House of Lords, scheduled for Tuesday, on the so called three- parent babies law. The legislation was passed by a majority of UK MPs earlier this month to legalize a controversial mitochondrial donation technique, which critics say will lead to 'three parent babies'.

The new technique, pioneered by Newcastle scientists, provides for the creation of in vitro fertilization (IVF) babies using DNA from three different people, so that the baby would inherit genes from two mothers and one father. The idea is to prevent specific genetic diseases being passed on to children.

If the House of Lords agree on the law on Tuesday, Britain will become the first country in the world to legalize the procedure, aimed at preventing serious inherited mitochondrial diseases. In the event of a positive vote, authorities could license clinics to perform the procedure as soon as this autumn.