Already in February we gave you this fantastic news, The IVI prevents for the first time in the world that a baby inherits from his parents a disease of the immune system, and today, for the first time in Spain, the National Commission of Assisted Reproduction has authorized the first preimplantation diagnoses, which will allow three couples to choose embryos before being implanted in the womb, and so Babies born are healthy and can be bone marrow donors to save the lives of their sisters, who suffer from genetic diseases of the blood, one of Beta Thalassemia major and two of Fanconi Anemia.
The preimplantation diagnostic technique was approved in the Assisted Human Reproduction Law in May of this year, but its application is limited to very exceptional cases, in which there are no other means to save the patients' lives. In approved cases, life expectancy would normally not exceed two years. It was in October that 8 of these 24 procedures were approved, but three of them have been revoked and two are still to be decided.
The Valencian Institute of Infertility (IVI) was the applicant for these three cases that must now be authorized by the Department of Health of the Generalitat Valenciana when it receives the files of the Ministry of Health.
The treatment will begin at the end of January or the beginning of February, and should carry out an exhaustive control of an experimental nature, since this is the first time that a case of Beta Thalassemia Major and about the fourth case of Fanconi Anemia is attempted with the preimplantation diagnosis.
They predict great success in the transplants of compatible healthy siblings and estimate to request about 40 more cases shortly.
We wish them all the success in the world.
