Part of: Prelims and GS-II – Policies and interventions and GS-III – Sci and tech
Context Parliament has passed two bills that aim to regulate in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics and prohibit commercial surrogacy in India.
Key Takeaways
Most of the recommendations of the select committee have been incorporated in the surrogacy bill.
Objective of the bills: To curb unethical practices pertaining to issues ranging from sex selection to exploitation of surrogate mothers at the hands of prospective parents and agencies.
Eensuring safe and ethical practice of assisted reproductive technology services for addressing the issues of reproductive health
The provisions include both monetary penalty as well as jail terms for violations
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020, proposes to regulate surrogacy in India by establishing a National Surrogacy Board at the central level and state surrogacy boards and appropriate authorities in states and Union territories.
In past few years, India has become a centre of the global fertility industry, with reproductive medical tourism becoming a significant activity.
Clinics in India offer nearly all Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services—gamete donation, intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), gestational surrogacy, etc.
However, There is still no standardisation of protocols and reporting is still very inadequate.
