GCC needs fertility laws, says expert

Dubai: Fertility services in the GCC need more detailed regulations on the regional level to curb unethical use of fertility treatments, such as producing “designer babies'', says a regional fertility expert.

GCC states have 50 fertility centres, including six in the UAE, which operates independently of each other with its own set of rules and regulations. Many of these centres offer Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD), which checks the embryo, conceived in-vitro, for genetic traits, including its gender before implanting it into the mother's womb.

Dr. Hamza Ali Eskandarani, professor of biochemistry at King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia, told participants at the Second Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference there was a shortage of precise regulations in the GCC, which a regional regulatory body would address.

“We have ethical, legal and social dilemmas'' because the subject is taboo, and involves the status and manipulation of embryos, he said.

“(For example) some people think embryo is a person and so are against the creating and discarding of the embryo. They oppose the applications of PGD in all aspects,'' he added. Other ethical and social dilemmas include choosing the traits of children and producing “designer babies''.

He said the GCC could not depend on fatwas (religious edicts) issued on fertility issues as they were too basic and vague, only addressing the marriage status of couples seeking treatment, donation of sperm and egg, and surrogacy issues. Present legislation in some countries, such as Saudi Arabia is superficial.

Dr. Eskandarani later told Gulf News the regulatory body needed to be regional to ensure uniform application of regulations, to prevent patients from jumping from one centre, which is regulated, to another, which is not.

“A centre that is not allowed to open in Dubai, can open in other emirates, for example. A regional body is important because we share common interests, ideology and roots,'' he said.

He said the body would address many grey areas in fertility, set licensing criteria and operational standards, and oversee data-reporting.

“Centres don't know what action to take in certain cases, such as genetic investigation. How far should they go? How do they discard embryos and what kind of research can be done on them? The centres don't know certain aspects of treatment, whether they are permitted to do it or not. And patients know if they are allowed certain procedures under the law,'' he said.

He added without regulations, centres would use PGD for unethical sex selection. Sex selection is ethically accepted for balancing the family and for preventing genetic disorders that are passed down the male line, such as haemophilia.

The Dubai Gynaecological and Fertility Centre, regulated by the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) has produced two successful sex-selection pregnancies this year, both for balancing the family.