Recommendations for changes to the Human Reproductive Technology Act have been made by a Western Australian Parliamentary Select Committee. In a report published 14 May, the committee advised that surrogacy should only be permitted where the commissioning couple's genetic material is used, or where the embryos are created from donated eggs and the commissioning father's sperm.
The report recommends that surrogacy using the surrogate's eggs and donor sperm should not be allowed. However, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) surrogacy using a donated embryo is seen as permissible. Unsurprisingly, the committee recommended a non-commercial approach to surrogacy arrangements and suggested mandatory counselling for all parties concerned.
Most of the committee was in favour of allowing the posthumous use of embryos by a surviving partner providing there was written consent. It was advised that access to infertility treatment should not exist for couples where either partner is over the age of 55 years.
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Australia tackles surrogacy issues
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