The birth has been reported of the world's first human babies whose genetic make-up has been artificially altered. Up to 30 such children are said to have been born as the unintended result of an experimental programme at a fertility clinic in the United States. Researchers said that DNA material was passed on from female donors who gave eggs to infertile women, and the children were later found to have a number of genes not inherited from either parent. Medical experts say that the procedure will have unpredictable long-term consequences.
