Assisted reproductive technology in the USA: is more regulation needed?

The regulation of assisted reproductive technologies is a contested area. Some jurisdictions, such as the UK and a number of Australian states, have comprehensive regulation of most aspects of assisted reproductive technologies; others, such as the USA, have taken a more piecemeal approach and rely on professional guidelines and the general regulation of medical practice to govern this area. It will be argued that such a laissez-faire approach is inadequate for regulating the complex area of assisted reproductive technologies. Two key examples, reducing multiple births and registers of donors and offspring, will be considered to illustrate the effects of the regulatory structure of assisted reproductive technologies in the USA on practice. It will be concluded that the regulatory structure in the USA fails to provide an adequate mechanism for ensuring the ethical and safe conduct of ART services, and that more comprehensive regulation is required

The Human Oocyte Preservation Experience (HOPE) a phase IV, prospective, multicenter, observational oocyte cryopreservation registry

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It has been recommended by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine that options to preserve fertility be presented at the outset of treatment for cancer. This recommendation may have arisen, in part, to the increasing survival of patients with cancer and the realization that certain forms of cancer treatment can lead to infertility. One option for these patients, particularly those with ethical or religious objections to freezing embryos is oocyte cryopreservation. However universal acceptance of these procedures has yet to be established, most likely due to a poor history of success and concerns that there has yet to be a comprehensive approach to evaluating these techniques. In light of this, a registry of patients undergoing oocyte cryopreservation, called the HOPE registry, is being implemented.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The intent of the HOPE Registry is to enroll approximately 400 women of reproductive age who will undergo thawing/warming of oocytes and subsequent transfer. Data from the patients enrolled will be collected via a uniform, standardized form and will document important parameters such as demographics, laboratory procedures and outcomes, including following the outcomes of babies born for one year after birth. The results of the registry will be published on a yearly basis.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>A patient registry has been established in order to systematically document the techniques and outcomes of oocyte cryopreservation procedures. The results will be published in order to provide a widely accessible resource that will allow patients who are considering these procedures validated information in order to make informed decisions as to how their treatment will proceed.</p

Ethical Issues: Addressing Sensational Cases and Analyzing Clinical Practice in Oocyte and Embryo Donation

Oocyte and embryo donation have long been lightning rods for controversy about assisted reproduction, both because of public divisiveness regarding sensational cases and because of the social concerns that attend changes in reproductive patterns, capacities, and roles. In particular, there is much discussion regarding the minimization of physical risks to oocyte donors, the iteration and development of consensus around what ought to be included in information provided to donors before they give consent to oocyte or embryo donation, and both whether and what children have a right to know about their genetic origins. Among the most dramatic changes in the social perception of oocyte and embryo donation is the presence of a growing body of empirical data to shed light on issues such as potential psychological outcomes of oocyte and embryo donation for donors, families, and offspring to inform our ethical discussions