Embryo sale controls

The “commodification” of children in an emerging made-to-order commercial embryo industry marks a disturbing twist in the heated debate surrounding the use of embryos in the making of babies. Not surprisingly, this recent development at a clinic in California has sparked calls for more effective legislation to control over-the-counter embryo sales in America.

The phenomenon raises major ethical and legal issues for people everywhere. It may be California today, but as night follows day, the cut-price embryo business, involving the division of embryo material from a single batch between several patients, will inevitably spread to other countries.

There is an onus on the Irish Government to be alert to this worrying development. With the internet already offering egg and sperm sales, it is imperative that the authorities here should not be caught napping when the commercial sale of embryos hits Ireland.