Reporter Jessica Hamzelou outlined the difficulties donating embryos to research that patients can encounter for MIT Technology Review.
Hamzelou who attended the PET Annual Conference '40 Years after the Warnock Report: What Is the Embryo's Special Status?' focused on a presentation given by Professor Geraldine Hartshorne.
Professor Hartshorne told the audience that a survey conducted by the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority showed that many patients would like to donate their embryos to research rather than allow them to perish. However, the data and her own experience showed that many patients are being denied this choice. The article outlined three main reasons for this.
Most patients' fertility treatment takes place in clinics that do not have links with academic research institutes.
Clinic staff don't have the capacity to facilitate the patient's wishes to donate to a research project.
The paperwork is too onerous for researchers and clinic staff.
Professor Hartshorne called for the creation of a national embryo bank which she said would ease the difficulties of donating embryo research for all concerned.
Read more about the PET Annual Conference on BioNews.
