Lack of IVF legislation keeps couples childless, health committee hears

UP to 8,000 couples attend Irish fertility clinics every year which results in 1,000 babies being born by assisted human reproduction techniques.

But thousands of couples are being denied the chance of a baby because there is no legislation to regulate IVF treatments.

The Oireachtas Health Committee heard yesterday that fertile parents who want to donate embryos to childless couples can’t do so because of the lack of legal framework.

Dr Mary Wingfield of Dublin’s Mater Hospital told the all-party committee: “There are just no babies available for adoption and even with foreign adoption, that’s not very easy.”

Committee members earlier called for an independent regulator to ensure that the providers of assisted human reproduction services were licensed, registered and qualified.

The committee began studying the recommendations of a report by the 20-member Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction, which was set up in 2000 by former Health Minister Michéal Martin to examine the issue.

Committee chairman John Moloney said up to 8,000 partners seek fertility services every year through nine clinics operating in Ireland. Up to 1,000 babies are born in this way as there is a 25% to 35% success rate.

“There is no regulation whatsoever. People who staff these clinics may not have relevant professional expertise. There are no statistics or fees’ structure.”

The Fianna Fáil TD said issues like stem cell research, artificial insemination, surrogacy, cloning and sex determination posed fundamental ethical questions for the committee.

“We can either sit back and pretend nothing is happening out there or we can try to do something to bring regulation and controls,” he said.

Commission chairperson Professor Dervilla Donnelly told committee members that an independent statutory regulatory body must be set up and be accountable to the health minister.

Labour Health Spokesperson Liz McManus could not think of a better scientific advance than to offer a couple the chance to have a child, but said: “It is rather disturbing there is no regulation. That is untenable.”

Dr Jerry Cowley said an independent regulatory body was essential to prevent the exploitation of embryos but he hailed medical advances in assisted human reproduction.

The Commission on Assistant Human Reproduction report said embryos should only enjoy legal protection after implantation.

The Oireachtas Committee is due to hold public hearings from interest groups in November.