How did we get to today’s debate on “three-parent babies”?

MPs will today decide whether mitochondrial donation allowing IVF babies to be born with DNA from three different people should be made legal.

The technique involves replacing DNA in an egg in order to prevent inherited mitochondrial diseases.

But the route to todays debate has been a long-time coming.

2000: The Chief Medical Officers expert group report Stem Cell Research: Medical Progress with Responsibility recognises the future potential use of mitochondrial replacement techniques in treatment.

2005: The Science and Technology Select Committee publishes the report Human Reproductive Technologies and the Law, supporting further research in the area.

2005: The University of Newcastle obtains a licence to work with human oocytes (eggs).

2008: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act passed, updating the previous 1990 Act. It allowed researchers to investigate methods of preventing the transmission of mitochondrial diseases, but did not make such treatments lawful.

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How did we get to today's debate on "three-parent babies"?