New Guidelines: Embryo Donation for Infertile Couples
Surplus embryos created by couples who have undergone IVF treatment can now be donated to other infertile people, as a result of recently released new guidelines. Previously, surplus embryos could only be left in storage or discarded. The Guidelines for Embryo Donation for Reproductive Purposes were prepared by the National Ethics Committee on Assisted Human Reproduction (NECAHR).
Under the guidelines, donor couples and recipients will be required to undergo counselling so that they are fully informed about the psychological, social and ethical aspects of embryo donation before beginning the donation process. They must also have access to counselling throughout the process. A joint counselling session between all parties is also required.
Donor couples will only be able to donate to one family. Donor couples will have to wait until at least two years after they have decided that their own family is complete before being able to proceed with an application to donate their surplus embryos.
Written consent is required from both parties. If one partner of a potential donor couple has died, then donation can only proceed if prior written consent has been obtained.
Clinics providing the service will be required to keep information on the donor couple, including names and current addresses, ethnicity and cultural affiliations, any significant medical history of the donors, their parents and grandparents, other children (if any) and donor siblings (if any).
For more information please contact: Emily Barrett, Media Advisor, Ministry of Health, DDI (04) 496 2483
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
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Fax: +64 4 894 0720
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