Regulating assisted reproduction technologies

Legislation in the area of assisted reproduction has been a slow process and one dogged by conflicting ethical views. Where legislation has been introduced in Europe it has not been consistent, representing the different cultural environments of the countries concerned and in a number of countries legislation has still not been introduced. Although the 1997 European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine represented a landmark in trying to introduce an international consensus on embryo research and its control, there is little or no regulation of assisted reproduction services even in those countries where legislation has been introduced. This may not be in the best interest of patients, particularly where a new technique is being introduced. A survey of those providing assisted reproduction services has indicated support for some form of technical standardization within Europe.