Cabinet okays Bill to regulate Rs 3,000 crore fertility industry

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Regulation Bill, 2020 proposing a legal framework and code of conduct to keep a check on in vitro fertilisation, embryo transfers and sperm banks — a set of infertility related services and industry that is mushrooming rapidly.
The bill proposes a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh for anyone indulging in sale of embryo or trafficking at the first instance, and jail term of up to 12 years after that. It seeks to establish a national registry and registration authority which will be applicable to all medical professionals and clinics operating or providing services in the field of ART.

The bill also envisages setting up a national board and a state board to help implement the legal framework. Besides, it proposes to create a central database of all clinics and banks across the country. The database will also include detailed information about services like the nature of the method through which the outcome is achieved, minister for women and child development (WCD) Smriti Irani said after the Cabinet meeting. She added, the central database will also be used for research purposes in this particular segment of health.

“This bill signifies that India has decided to respect reproductive rights of women,” Irani said highlighting that 2020 will indeed be the “decade of Indian women”.

The bill prohibits sex determination and sex selection. It also contains provisions to ensure confidentiality of the donor as well as the recipient of such services.

The nod for the ART bill comes on the heels of the parliamentary committee recommendations on the Surrogacy Regulation Bill in Rajya Sabha and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Amendment Bill, 2020, approved by the Cabinet last month. Estimates show that ART, of which surrogacy and IVF are most commonly used procedures, is an over Rs 3000 crore industry.