NHS-Funded Cousin Marriage Study Faces Allegations of Bias and Downplaying Risks
A significant NHS-funded study examining cousin marriage has come under intense criticism for allegedly minimising the potential dangers to children's health. The research, conducted as part of the Born in Bradford programme, has been branded biased and accused of promoting cousin marriage despite substantial evidence highlighting its risks.
Expert Condemns Study's Transparency and Quality
Dr Patrick Nash, a leading authority on the subject, has raised serious concerns about the project's integrity. 'Born in Bradford has serious questions to answer about the transparency and quality of their work,' he stated. 'Much inconvenient evidence is downplayed, opposing arguments are misrepresented in bad faith, and they have a long history of publishing baseless pro-cousin marriage advocacy in academic journals of varying repute.'
This criticism follows revelations about an NHS training guide that instructs healthcare professionals to outline the 'benefits' of cousin marriage, even while acknowledging that 15 per cent of such births result in deformed babies, compared to a national average of just 2 per cent. Additionally, a Bradford hospital recently advertised for a 'close relative marriage neonatal nurse/midwife' to support cousin parents, further fuelling the controversy.
Born in Bradford Study Details and Criticisms
The Born in Bradford study tracks children born to 12,500 women between 2007 and 2010. Among babies of Pakistani origin in the cohort, nearly 40 per cent were from first-cousin marriages. Critics argue that the academics leading the study have consistently favoured the practice, ignoring mounting evidence of harm.
Professor John Wright, the study's lead, has publicly supported cousin marriage. In 2012, he cited family love and economic benefits like keeping assets within families. In a 2025 British Medical Journal article, he again highlighted perceived economic and social benefits and accused opponents of drawing from a 'deep, dark well of racism and Islamophobia'.
However, experts dispute these claims, pointing to data showing that younger generations are almost twice as likely to be offspring of first cousins compared to older ones, contradicting assertions of decline. Dr Nash emphasised, 'There is, even by their own numbers, no good evidence to suggest cousin marriage is declining and there is certainly no basis whatever to claim health, economic and social benefits for this appalling practice.'
Calls for Government and NHS Action
The controversy has led to calls for a reassessment of NHS funding and policies. Dr Nash urged, 'The Government and NHS need to rethink their investment in this outfit and cousin marriage needs to be banned outright.' Critics describe the study as the 'most egregious example' of the NHS appearing to endorse cousin marriage, raising urgent questions about public health priorities and ethical research standards.
Born in Bradford was approached for comment but has not yet responded to the allegations.
