Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41063113›Full record

ArticleBMC medical ethics2025

Public funding for mitochondrial donation: An Australian public deliberation.

Ainsley J Newson, Jane Williams, Giuliana Fuscaldo, Ashleigh Hill, Ezra Kneebone, Karinne Ludlow, Catherine Mills, Megan Munsie, Sarah Norris, Paul Scuffham and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical ethics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Ainsley J NewsonSydney Health Ethics, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Level 1, Edward Ford Building A27, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. ainsley.newson@sydney.edu.au.
Jane WilliamsSydney Health Ethics, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Level 1, Edward Ford Building A27, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Giuliana FuscaldoMonash Bioethics Centre, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Ashleigh Hill, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Ezra KneeboneMonash Bioethics Centre, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Karinne LudlowFaculty of Law, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Catherine MillsMonash Bioethics Centre, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Megan MunsieDepartment of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Sarah NorrisLeeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Paul ScuffhamCentre for Applied Health Economics, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
Liz SuttonMonash Bioethics Centre, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
David R ThorburnMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Chris DegelingAustralian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

Funding

Medical Research Future Fund, Australian Government 76744National Health and Medical Research Council GNT1155244Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Stem Cell Medicine NNF21CC0073729
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMitochondrial donation (MD) is a reproductive technique that aims to allow individuals at-risk of having a child with mitochondrial DNA disease avoid this outcome. Research to inform possible clinical use of MD is underway in Australia and births following the use of this technique have been announced in the United Kingdom. However, how the availability of MD will be funded in the mid- to long-term remains uncertain. One factor impacting funding decisions is public sentiment, yet there is scant evidence globally regarding attitudes toward MD funding. We sought to discern attitudes of informed members of the Australian public to how the provision of MD should be funded.

methodsWe held three community juries to gauge public views on how MD should be funded. A community jury involves providing a diverse group of citizens with expert testimony and facilitating deliberation to arrive at a position.

resultsForty-two jurors participated across three juries. All juries voted by majority to support public funding for MD. Each jury made slightly different funding choices: one preferred full public funding, another preferred co-payment, while the third was divided among full public funding, co-payment, and no public funding. Reasons in favour of public funding comprised value for money, equity (i.e., the fair and just distribution of MD) and promoting innovation. Reasons against were opportunity cost, that MD wasn't necessary, and ethical objections to MD. Jurors also devised conditions for future funding: external review, capped services, better funding for alternative interventions and means testing.

conclusionsShould the current Australian MD research trial enable clinical provision, assuming that our participants' views are consistent with those of most Australians when informed of the trade-offs, benefits and costs, then it is likely that there will be strong public support for governments to fund access. However, some people may object to this expenditure.

Indexed as

Financing, GovernmentMitochondrial DiseasesMitochondrial Replacement TherapyPublic OpinionAdultAustraliaDNA, MitochondrialFemaleHumansMaleDNA, MitochondrialBioethicsCitizens’ juryDeliberative public engagementHealth expendituresMitochondrial Replacement TherapyPublic opinion

Identifiers

PMID41063113
PMCPMC12509408

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.