Plan to introduce ‘adoption’ of IVF embryos

August 23, 2007

COUPLES who donate their excess IVF embryos may be able to choose the prospective recipients under a radical policy change being considered by Victorian health authorities.

The change could involve following the approach of New Zealand, where couples who donate excess embryos must meet prospective recipients before deciding to whom they go.

In Victoria, donors are not supposed to influence who receives their embryos — unless they are donating to people they know. The same applies to sperm and egg donation.

But in recognition of the policy vacuum in this highly complex and sensitive area, Victoria’s Infertility Treatment Authority is working to develop guidelines on embryo donation. Last week one of the key drivers of the NZ policy came to Melbourne and gave a presentation on the country’s experience to the authority.

There were more than 35,000 embryos stored in Victoria at the end of 2005. Some couples who go through IVF create several embryos and store them while they decide whether they want more children. Embryos can be stored for up to five years, and then couples have to decide what to do with them. Those wishing to keep embryos can apply to the authority to extend the storage time. (The Age)