UK: Now women can volunteer to donate eggs for research In a landmark decision, the British government has allowed women to volunteer as egg donators for scientific research. Up to now, only eggs developed in connection with medical treatment could be donated ("egg-sharing"). "Altruistic donation" will not be paid, but donors are eligible for expenses up to 250 Pound. The decision was advised by the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) of the UK in order to overcome the crisis of short supply. According to the new regulation, women undergoing costly fertility treatment can avail a discount in return for donating the overproduction of eggs. Angela McNab, chief executive of the HFEA, responded to concerns about a possible health risk for donors: "Given that the medical risks for donating for research are no higher than for treatment, we have concluded that it is not for us to remove a woman's choice of how her donated eggs should be used." "Women have been donating eggs for more than 20 years, usually those undergoing sterilization where the eggs would be used to study early embryonic development", said Professor Peter Braude, director of the Centre for Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis at Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust. "The difference now is that women are being asked as volunteers where their ovaries would be stimulated to develop eggs specifically and solely for research." The decision could help to speed up developments in stem cell research. Scarcity of human eggs, needed to create cloned embryos from which stem cells can be derived, is a major technical bottleneck. Stem cell researchers are working towards what is expected to be a breakthrough of regenerative medicine. They may soon be able to create perfect transplants that can replace damaged cells in patients by using stem cells with their original genes. This technique could help treating numerous ailments and ultimately benefit millions of people. It could for example enable us to repair spinal code injuries or heart muscles damaged by heart attacks or to replace dead brain cells killed by Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases. An obscene attack If there was an award for the most obscene attack against donation of eggs for research, it should have been given to the “Appignani Centre for Bioethics” in New York. In her statement, the centre’s only representative does not waste words on any of the more serious concerns that had been in discussion in connection with the new regulation. She reads us a sermon about the despicable ethical stature of egg donors. Especially if they accept financial compensation. Her tirade is nothing but a new version of the oldest theme of Christian Puritanism. But it is a little bit shriller and more fundamentalist than the well-known tune: Not only having sex for other purposes than for making new family and community members is a deadly sin – now even producing eggs is! The self styled guardian of bio-ethical values goes so far as to compare egg donation for research with prostitution! Comparing egg donation for scientific research with prostitution, she writes: “Many people have no problem with a law that allows others to pay for sex; however, few will call this ethical and even fewer would recommend such a practice to their mothers, daughters or sisters. No one wants their sister or daughter working their way through college as an egg seller.” If you think now the “Appignani Centre for Bioethics” was an unknown outfit of the Christian Right in the USA, you are completely wrong. Disturbingly, it has been introduced last year as a new flagship in the fleet of a humanist organization. The centre’s statement caused some confusion and embarrassment among rationalists and humanists who happened to read it. A clarification from humanist associates of the “Appignani Centre” would be appreciated. 10 April 2007: No clarification yet - but reacting to our criticism, the director of the “Appignani Centre” gave it another try and published a new article on the same subject; this time in a more suitable tone. [Spot the difference: HNN 21 Febr. 2007, HNN 4 April 2007] |