China Launches Campaign Against Illegal Fertility Treatments

In a six-month effort to alleviate significant public anxiety, China will severely crack down on illicit activities related to the use of assisted reproductive technology, such as the purchasing or selling of sperm or eggs, and surrogacy.

According to a statement issued by Fourteen government ministries, including the National Health Commission (NHC), assisted reproductive technology can only be employed at the country’s 543 certified medical institutions.

“In recent years, there has been some illegal use of fertility technology, which has caused widespread concern in society”, the NHC stated in a statement.

From June through December this year, the government stated it will focus on suppressing illegal and criminal activities like as forgery and the buying and selling of birth medical certificates in order to standardize the implementation of assisted human reproductive technology.

The NHC stated that the illegal use of human-assisted reproductive technology, such as surrogacy and illegal egg collection, seriously harms women’s health and rights.

According to the report, the issuance of counterfeit birth medical certificates has resulted in illegal detention, trafficking of women, and other crimes that significantly violate the rights and interests of women and children.

Other steps, according to the NHC, will be implemented, including stricter patient identification, stronger approval and verification of human-assisted reproductive technologies, and higher sanctions for medical facilities and workers who break rules.

Concerned about China’s rapid aging, the government’s political experts urged in March that single and unmarried women should have access to egg freezing and IVF treatments, among other services.

Currently, only married women in China have access to fertility therapies such as IVF and egg freezing.

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