A BRITISH couple’s struggle to conceive has brought them to Cyprus, where they say laws and attitudes are more relaxed when it comes to intravenous fertilisation (IVF).
Keith and Libby Wilkin spoke to the BBC about the near impossibility of them receiving adequate treatment in the UK, especially after three failed IVF attempts – one on the NHS and two privately.
The especially long waiting lists, made worse by a UK law making it obligatory for the sperm or egg donor to reveal their identities, have forced the couple into seeking alternative ways to achieve their dream.
The UK’s fertility watchdog is currently in the process of arranging a fresh debate on reversing the ban on paying donors, which according to British statistics, has led to more and more British couples seeking fertility treatment abroad. One key destination, according to the BBC, is Cyprus.
Rena Vrahimi-Petridou, the Chairman of the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee who is also Senior Counsel to the Republic of Cyprus, explained that the difference between UK and Cypriot laws on IVF was the fact that in Cyprus the donor can be anonymous.
However, the Republic applies the basic and fundamental principle that no bodily parts, including cells and tissues, can be sold for profit. They can only be donated.
“If there is a possibility of using reproductive cells or tissues for medical treatment, these need to be given without profit and with an altruistic spirit,” Vrahimi-Petridou explained.
But it is imperative that these procedures are carried out in complete compliance with the law.
“For a start, the necessary medical checks need to be carried out to avoid the transmission of diseases from the donor to the mother and or the embryo.”
Today, Cyprus has two laws that strictly prohibit trading bodily parts and reproductive cells, but one determines the framework that secures the health of the cells and tissues that are used for clinical applications, such as IVF.
These two laws are based on the Kiev international treaty, which strictly bans trading bodily parts for financial gain, and European acquis communautaire.
From an ethical point of view, Vrahimi-Petridou said the Bioethics Committee was not against fertility treatments, so long as the law is observed and the necessary checks are being carried out.
For example, in a small society like Cyprus, there are increased dangers of future incestuous relationships, if the same person donates time and again.
“People need to be aware of these things before they proceed with such treatment; though this is something the doctors are aware of and therefore should use the necessary precautions when administering treatment,” she concluded.
According to the head of the Cyprus Medical Association, Dr Andreas Demetriou, the Association is not against sperm and egg donations.
“How these donors are located is a matter that is handled by each doctor personally.”
He said it was all right for the donor to be offered the money needed for medical expenses, though anything beyond that would violate laws involving the trade of body
