In India, it is estimated that 30% of couples are infertile. Infertility is one of the most prevalent medical problems the country is facing. With advanced medicines and technologies available, 85% of the cases of infertility can be treated. This requires high level of expertise from doctors and their team. In the last two decades, we came across many infertility clinics mushrooming across the country. Many of them operate as a baby manufacturing center exploiting recipients. As such the treatments and interventions at infertility clinics throws open many avenues of unethical practices which can affect the recipient of treatment medically, socially and legally.
Today, anyone can open infertility or assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinic; no permission is required. Unfortunately, we do not have a regulatory mechanism to ensure good medical practice by all infertility clinics.
A committee comprising of medical and legal experts guided by officials from government drafted an Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill – 2010 for the consideration and enactment by the Parliament of India. The draft bill calls for a national framework for the accreditations, regulation and supervision of assisted reproductive technology clinics.
Our constitution should provide for a National Advisory Board and State Boards to monitor Assisted Reproductive Technology clinics and to ensure good medical practices by them.
There has to be clarity with respect to aspects such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), surrogacy, ART banks, privacy of patients, rights and duties of patients, donors and child born through the use of ART, sex selection and Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis.
In the interest of public, it is very important to regulate the functioning of infertility clinics. We need to ensure that the services provided by these clinics are ethical and that the medical, social and legal rights of all those concerned are protected.
[Dr. Kamini Rao is the Medical Director of Bangalore Assisted Conception Centre and is a member of the ART (Regulation) Bill drafting committee.]
Today, anyone can open infertility or assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinic; no permission is required. Unfortunately, we do not have a regulatory mechanism to ensure good medical practice by all infertility clinics.
A committee comprising of medical and legal experts guided by officials from government drafted an Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill – 2010 for the consideration and enactment by the Parliament of India. The draft bill calls for a national framework for the accreditations, regulation and supervision of assisted reproductive technology clinics.
Our constitution should provide for a National Advisory Board and State Boards to monitor Assisted Reproductive Technology clinics and to ensure good medical practices by them.
There has to be clarity with respect to aspects such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), surrogacy, ART banks, privacy of patients, rights and duties of patients, donors and child born through the use of ART, sex selection and Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis.
In the interest of public, it is very important to regulate the functioning of infertility clinics. We need to ensure that the services provided by these clinics are ethical and that the medical, social and legal rights of all those concerned are protected.
[Dr. Kamini Rao is the Medical Director of Bangalore Assisted Conception Centre and is a member of the ART (Regulation) Bill drafting committee.]