title: Egg Production and Donation: A New Frontier in the Global Landscape of Cross-Border Reproductive Care: Ethical Concerns.
abstract: Cross-border reproductive care (CBRC) is a multifaceted phenomenon. It may involve both the movement of patients to undertake assisted reproductive treatment through technologies otherwise denied and the movement of assisted reproduction professionals, egg and sperm donors and surrogates, as well as the importing and exporting of gametes. The reasons for CBRC vary between countries. In this global landscape, the search for donor oocytes is one of the main reasons for patients seeking cross-border reproductive care. The egg market has led to ethical and political concerns about the means of procuring donor oocytes, the possibility of exploiting economically underprivileged women mainly in poor countries, and the issue of the responsibility and accountability of medical doctors and fertility clinics. Ethical concerns relating to international egg donation are discussed with special focus on the issues of compensation/ reimbursement, the health and welfare of women donating eggs, informed consent to donation, the possible conflict of interest for physicians involved in egg donation programmes, and equity in the distribution of economic resources from CBRC. Finally, the need for global solutions to this global issue is underlined.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Foggia, Ospedale Colonnello D'Avanzo, Via degli Aviatori, 1, 71100 Foggia, Italy. emanuela_turillazzi@inwind.it.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turillazzi
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pascale
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Riezzo
authors.forename: Cristoforo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pomara
mesh_terms: D026688:Bioethical Issues; D006801:Humans; D057193:Medical Tourism; D009865:Oocytes; D012098:Reproduction; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000941:ethics*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement