The UK’s National Health Service, through its Genomics Education Programme, released September 2025 guidance to assist healthcare workers in discussing consanguineous marriages with patients, noting doubled genetic risks for children such as birth defects from 2-3% to 4-6% in first-cousin unions, based on studies like the 2021 University of Bradford research.
The document also acknowledges social benefits including stronger family support systems and economic advantages like wealth preservation, while opposing bans to prevent stigmatising communities and promote genetic counselling.
The guidance has drawn criticism from Conservative MP Richard Holden and media outlets like The Telegraph and Daily Mail, who argue it prioritises cultural sensitivity over child health concerns in areas like Bradford where up to 55% of British Pakistanis engage in such marriages.
