Gov’t put forth bill making reproductive technology possible in hospitals
Local authorities have drafted a bill aimed at
providing local parents struggling with infertility with a solution, with the proposed
legislation governing assisted reproductive technologies to reach the Legislative
Assembly for deliberation soon.
Under the bill put forth by the Executive Council, married
couples and couples in a de facto relationship proved medically to be infertile
are allowed to resort to reproductive technologies to boost their chances of
having a baby.
Health Bureau Director Alvis Lo Iek Long said at a press
conference this afternoon that the proposed legislation also targets couples with
a hereditary disease, and even those whose sons or daughters are suffering from
severe medical conditions, such as thalassemia.
“If a child has a vascular disease, we could try to treat
him or her by transplanting stem cells from his or her brother or sister, whose
cells are likely to be highly compatible. The couples may consider assisted
reproductive technologies, which, unlike natural birth, involves genetic
screening. We could use a baby’s umbilical cord blood to cure the disease with
the help of stem cell transplantation.”
According to him, the year of 2018 saw nearly 140
parents with fertility issues. The number more than doubled last year.
However, the director stressed that the bill, if passed, does not apply to single women, who are still allowed to freeze eggs.
Only public and private hospitals that obtain government approval are allowed to have assisted reproductive technologies, and no clinic should carry out treatment supported by those technologies, Lo stressed.
Unauthorised organisations found to have provided reproductive
technologies will face criminal consequences in the future. As the bill
suggests, any natural person caught breaching rules is facing a fine of up to MOP80,000,
while it could go up to MOP120,000 for a legal person.
The proposed legislation also seeks to ban surrogacy
and donation of embryos.
Gloss