Surrogacy: beyond the commercial/altruistic distinction

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Philosophy of Medicine
• Reproductive Ethics

Background:

• The distinction between commercial and altruistic surrogacy is commonly used to assess moral legitimacy.
• This dichotomy oversimplifies the complex ethical considerations involved in surrogacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critique the prevailing commercial versus altruistic distinction in surrogacy.
• To propose an alternative framework for evaluating the moral legitimacy of surrogacy arrangements.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical critique of existing ethical distinctions.
• Application of virtue ethics to surrogacy arrangements.
• Analysis of surrogacy conditions based on virtue-abiding principles.

Main Results:

• The commercial/altruistic distinction is an inadequate heuristic for determining surrogacy's moral legitimacy.
• The moral status of surrogacy is better assessed by examining the virtue-ethical conditions inherent in the arrangement.
• Alternative moral heuristics are less suitable than a virtue-ethical approach.

Conclusions:

• A virtue-ethical framework offers the most robust method for evaluating the moral legitimacy of surrogacy.
• Focus should shift from payment status to the ethical conduct and conditions within surrogacy.
• This approach provides a more nuanced and accurate moral appraisal of surrogacy.