Women are being offered free sterilisation by a Harley Street clinic if they agree to donate their eggs to infertile women, raising concerns that women will donate genetic material in order to jump National Health Service (NHS) waiting lists. The Centre for Reproductive Medicine (CRM) will advertise in local newspapers in the Home Counties this week. It is illegal in the UK for women to be paid for their eggs but this form of payment in kind is allowed.
Robert Forman, medical director of CRM defended the move by pointing out that the many women who have completed their family and are waiting to be sterilised on the NHS where it is not a priority treatment may want to have the treatment earlier as well as helping infertile women. 'This is not for financial benefit and so is allowed under the guidelines,' said a spokesman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which licenses fertility clinics in the UK. 'There is a massive shortage of donor eggs in this country. There is a low awareness of the need and these women, who are seeking sterilisation, may be more sensitive to the wishes, needs and aspirations of infertile couples.'
However, many prominent fertility specialists said it was time to do the honest and honourable thing by paying women a limited amount for their eggs.
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We don't want a free market in body parts
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Sterilisation offered to egg donors
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