Politics
Thursday July 27, 2006
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Human Eggs As Currency?
IVF Clinic Given OK to Accept Eggs as Payment for Fertility Treatments
By Terry Vanderheyden
LONDON, July 27, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A UK fertility clinic has been given the green light by the country’s fertility authority to allow women undergoing in-vitro fertilization to trade costs of the treatment in exchange for any surplus eggs. The eggs are to be fertilized, and the resulting embryonic babies mined for cells to be used in research.
The decision marks the first instance where human eggs are being legally sold as items of commerce.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority licensed the North East England Stem Cell Institute to exchange embryos in lieu of payment for IVF services. The Newcastle-based Institute utilizes the cells derived from embryonic humans to investigate potential stem cell treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.
Before now, women were allowed to voluntarily donate “spare” eggs derived from IVF treatments, although the demand has exceeded the supply, according to the Newcastle team.
Paul Tully, General Secretary for the UK’s Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, told LifeSiteNews.com today that he was “deeply concerned” over the prospect of women being paid for their “spare” eggs.
“Women will be under enormous pressure to engage in these practices,” he emphasized. “There is a huge potential for exploitation."
Josephine Quintavalle, co-founder of Hands Off Our Ovaries, told the BBC that the needs of researchers who want more eggs for research will supersede the best interests of the women donors. “It is coercion under another name,” she said. She described the HFEAs actions as the “worst example of HFEA arrogance” she had observed.
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- Over 100 MPs Oppose Morgentaler Order of Canada - List Released Today
- National Right to Life calls GOP Platform "Strongest Ever" on Life Issues
- Exclusive: Prominent Rabbi Says Lieberman was Excommunicated and it is Still in Effect
- Comments on August 28 LifeSiteNews
- McCain Himself Accuses Obama of Courting Infanticide
- Two More Bishops Make 8 Who Have Come Out against Pelosi's 'Catholic' Abortion Theology
- VP Hopeful Biden about Pro-Abortion Stance: "My Views are Totally Consistent with Catholic Social Doctrine..."
- Protests and Official Mourning Declared following Mexican Pro-Abortion Ruling
- Pure Utilitarianism: Doctors Justifying Killing Infant Patients for Organ Donation
- Philippines Court Rejects Claims of New York Based Pro-Abortion Group
- MPs Affirm Continued Support for C-484 - Unborn Victims of Crime Bill
- Brazilian Supreme Court Hears Testimony on Eugenic Abortions
- Cells Transformed into Insulin Producers in Research that Makes Embryonic Research "Irrelevant"
- Priests for Life Nine Week Novena Prayer for Election Begins September 1st
Most Read this Week
- Biden's Bishop Will not Permit Him, Even if Elected VP, to Speak at Catholic Schools
- "Catholic" Speaker Pelosi Denies that Catholicism Condemns Abortion
- Cardinals, Bishops and Congressmen Slam Pelosi on Abortion
- Talk a Woman out of Abortion in the UK? Two Years Jail
- Mainstream Media Admits Anti-Family Bias: NBC to 'Gay' Activists: 'Your Victories Are Our Victories'
- Pelosi Spokeswoman About-face: Catholic Church "Clear" on Life Teaching After All - But Catholics Need Not Listen
- American Apparel Defends "Pornographic" Billboards
- New York Cardinal - Pelosi Not Worthy of "Providing Leadership in a Civilized Democracy"
- Pro-Life Billboard Vandalized with "Joker" Face Paint and Slogan: "Why So Serious?"
- Conservative Party of Canada Kills Unborn Victims of Crime Act with Gutless Alternative
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.