Leading scientists have accused the Government of misleading the public after it quietly changed its definition of ‘genetic modification’ to push forward with proposals to allow 3-parent babies. Last week, the Government announced its intention to place regulations before Parliament as it released its response to a 12-week consultation recently undertaken by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The proposed IVF technique, known as ‘mitochondrial replacement therapy’, will allow permanent changes to the genetic make-up of future generations for the first time and is widely recognised by experts as a form of genetic modification. However, in a move buried in a Department of Health document, the Government quietly redefined ‘genetic modification’ in a way that would exclude 'mitochondrial replacement therapy'. Leading scientists say that the Government is acting dishonestly and misleading the public over the true implications of the procedure.