TY - JOUR
T1 - The Parliamentary inquiry into mitochondrial donation law reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 in Australia
T2 - a qualitative analysis
AU - Allen, Jemima W.
AU - Gyngell, Christopher
AU - Koplin, Julian J.
AU - Vears, Danya F.
N1 - Funding Information:
Danya Vears and Christopher Gyngell acknowledge the infrastructure funding received from the Victorian State Government through the Operational Infrastructure Support (OIS) Program.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Recently, Australia became the second jurisdiction worldwide to legalize the use of mitochondrial donation technology. The Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 allows individuals with a family history of mitochondrial disease to access assisted reproductive techniques that prevent the inheritance of mitochondrial disease. Using inductive content analysis, we assessed submissions sent to the Senate Committee as part of a programme of scientific inquiry and public consultation that informed drafting of the Bill. These submissions discussed a range of bioethical and legal considerations of central importance to the political debate. Significantly, submissions from those with a first-hand experience of mitochondrial disease, including clinicians and those with a family history of mitochondrial disease, were in strong support of this legislation. Those in support of the Bill commended the two-staged approach and rigorous licencing requirements as part of the Bill’s implementation strategy. Submissions which outlined arguments against the legislation either opposed the use of these techniques in general or opposed aspects of the implementation strategy in Australia. These findings offer a window into the ethical arguments and perspectives that matter most to those Australians who took part in the Senate inquiry into mitochondrial donation. The insights garnered from these submissions may be used to help refine policy and guidelines as the field progresses.
AB - Recently, Australia became the second jurisdiction worldwide to legalize the use of mitochondrial donation technology. The Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 allows individuals with a family history of mitochondrial disease to access assisted reproductive techniques that prevent the inheritance of mitochondrial disease. Using inductive content analysis, we assessed submissions sent to the Senate Committee as part of a programme of scientific inquiry and public consultation that informed drafting of the Bill. These submissions discussed a range of bioethical and legal considerations of central importance to the political debate. Significantly, submissions from those with a first-hand experience of mitochondrial disease, including clinicians and those with a family history of mitochondrial disease, were in strong support of this legislation. Those in support of the Bill commended the two-staged approach and rigorous licencing requirements as part of the Bill’s implementation strategy. Submissions which outlined arguments against the legislation either opposed the use of these techniques in general or opposed aspects of the implementation strategy in Australia. These findings offer a window into the ethical arguments and perspectives that matter most to those Australians who took part in the Senate inquiry into mitochondrial donation. The insights garnered from these submissions may be used to help refine policy and guidelines as the field progresses.
KW - Bioethics
KW - Gene technology
KW - Gene technology regulation
KW - Medical technology legislation
KW - Mitochondrial donation
KW - Technological and regulatory advances
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85166538426&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11673-023-10257-4
DO - 10.1007/s11673-023-10257-4
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85166538426
SN - 1176-7529
VL - 21
SP - 67
EP - 80
JO - Journal of Bioethical Inquiry
JF - Journal of Bioethical Inquiry
ER -