Making babies in the 21st century: new strategies, old dilemmas.
Self-regulation of assisted reproduction by the medical community is not working. The continuing ban on in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryo research will only further erode the opportunity to develop comprehensive policies to protect the growing numbers of infertile couples, former cancer patients, gamete donors and their offspring produced through assisted reproduction. The President's National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) with the help of the Institute of Medicine can serve as an effective policy-building body because of its expertise, public forum, and national authority. National guidelines have been developed for gene therapy and xenotransplantation which could serve as models for dealing with the thorny bioethical dilemmas of assisted reproduction. In the interim, research on the social and ethical aspects of assisted reproduction should be a high priority for the NIH.
Reame
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NK
Center for Nursing Research Reproductive Sciences Program, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
D000818:Animals; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D011050:Policy Making; D011247:Pregnancy; D011640:Public Policy; D012099:Reproductive Techniques; D012106:Research; D014481:United States