Three’s a charm for avoiding diseases caused by dysfunctional mitochondria, the powerhouses in our cells. The creation of embryos with genetic material from three people has received the green light from an independent UK ethics panel.

The aim is to prevent the diseases that result from faulty genes in mitochondria, which are passed from mothers to their babies. This would be achieved by replacing the mother’s faulty mitochondrial DNA in the egg with functional mtDNA donated by another woman. The resulting embryo would have genetic material from three individuals.

However, the UK Nuffield Council on Bioethics points out that just 0.1 per cent of the child’s DNA would come from the donor. It would repair mitochondria but make a negligible contribution to the characteristics of the child, so it would be legally and biologically inaccurate to refer to such a donor as a “third parent”.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority will advise the UK government on whether the treatment should be approved in April 2013.