An English woman, currently aged 60, wishes to obtain the frozen eggs of her deceased daughter, have them fertilised by donor sperm and then to carry “her daughter’s children”. Since no English clinic has agreed to the operation, she is considering “exporting the eggs” to the United States where one clinic has agreed to carry out the procedure for the sum of approximately €80,000.
However, the HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) has refused to grant permission for eggs stored since 2008 to be exported to the United States.
The use of gametes following a person’s death is authorised in the United Kingdom but the person in question must have given his/her informed consent. In this case, the HFEA has deemed that proof of consent is insufficient. Last year, the High Court confirmed the HFEA’s decision. Nevertheless, the mother is appealing against this decision believing that the High Court’s approach to the law “was too strict”.
Bionews (29/02/2016)