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Issue No 48, August 2007 |
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Law on licensing of IVF Centers in the UAE
Recently, the UAE Federal Cabinet introduced a federal law on licensing of IVF (in-vitro fertilization) centers with a view to ensuring that all such centers in the country operate in accordance with Islamic values and ethics.
The law, among other things, provides for the following: Regulates issues like legality of father, surrogating, storing and banking of sperms and other related matters.
Aspects relating to licensing of medical, technical and administrative cadres, and the medical instruments and devices the fertilization centers must obtain.
Regulates the licensing of physicians, technicians and centers involved in the process of fertilization in a way that suits the traditions, norms and the Islamic values of the UAE society.
The issue of fertilization, a controversial one, has evoked contradictory interpretations. Some malpractices have also been reported to the Ministry by individuals.
The federal law stipulates stringent punishments, including imprisonment ranging from two to five years and/or fines ranging from Dh200,000 to Dh500,000 maximum, and two years in jail and Dh200,000 depending on the degree of violations.
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Other important features of the law |
The law approves applying certain reproduction techniques to help infertile women conceive.
It allows couples to apply ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), which is a micromanipulation technique that involves injecting a sperm directly into an egg in order to facilitate fertilization. This technique is reportedly highly- effective fertility treatment for male factor infertility and sperm defects.
The law provides that couples may go for ‘Intrauterine Insemination’ or (IUI), which is a procedure in which a fine catheter (tube) is inserted through the cervix
(the natural opening of the uterus), into the uterus (the womb) to deposit a sperm sample directly into the uterus.
It also permits infertile couples to apply the fertility treatment called IVF or ‘in-vitro fertilization’, which is a method of assisted reproduction that involves combining an egg with sperm in a laboratory dish. If the egg fertilizes and begins cell division, the resulting embryo is transferred into the woman’s uterus where it will hopefully implant in the uterine lining and further develop.
The ZIFT or ‘Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer’ method of treating infertility by removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries, fertilizing them in the laboratory with sperm from her partner, and inserting one or more of the fertilized eggs into one of her fallopian tubes, is also sanctioned under the law.
The law approves using ‘Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer’ or (GIFT), an alternate method of conception in couples with unexplained infertility.
Freezing of eggs, sperms and embryos for later use in reproduction process, is not sanctioned under the law.
However, it is reported that the Minister of Health would settle the issue of ‘freezing’ within a period six months.
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