Report Pulled

Following criticism, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) pulled an article from its website that discussed potential benefits of first-cousin marriage.

Context

First-cousin marriages have been legal in the UK since the 1500s, when King Henry VIII passed legislation that allowed him to marry his ex-wife’s cousin. The practice remains common in some communities, with research from the Born in Bradford birth cohort study finding that 37% of UK Pakistani couples were first cousins, compared to less than 1% of British couples. Children from first-cousin marriages face doubled risk of congenital anomalies, rising from 3% to 6%.

Report Details

The UK’s NHS pulled an article that highlighted the benefits of first-cousin marriage on Monday after facing backlash from politicians and health officials.

The NHS’ original Sunday article was titled “Should the UK government ban first-cousin marriage” and suggested the practice offered “stronger extended family support systems and economic advantages.”

The guidance noted that while first-cousin marriage increased genetic risks, other factors like alcohol use during pregnancy, smoking, and parental age also raised risks of genetic disorders, though none of those factors are banned in the UK.

It also suggested that “genetic counselling, awareness-raising initiatives and public health campaigns are important tools to help families make informed decisions without stigmatizing certain communities and cultural traditions.”

Political Backlash

Health Secretary Wes Streeting called for an apology after learning about the article, telling LBC radio on Tuesday that “the medical science and evidence is clear” and that “first-cousin marriages are high risk and unsafe.” Conservative MP Richard Holden accused the Labour government of “taking the knee to damaging and oppressive cultural practices,” while another conservative pointed out that the NHS restricts IVF based on various factors but wouldn’t criticize cousin marriage.

Medical Backlash

The article drew sharp criticism from medical professionals who argued it minimized serious health risks. Research has shown that children from first-cousin marriages are more likely to have speech and language difficulties and less likely to reach developmental milestones.

The Born in Bradford study found that the practice accounted for 30% of genetic disorders in their research population. One doctor called the guidance “truly dismaying” and said, “Cousin marriage is incest, plain and simple, and needs to be banned with the utmost urgency.”