O-033 Where ethics hits the patients needs - Case Germany. (6th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kordic, K
• Is Part Of: Human reproduction. Volume 36:Supplement 1(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08-06
• Subjects: Human reproduction -- Periodicals; 618
• DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab126.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0268-1161

Abstract

Abstract text: The German Embryo Protection Act was passed in 1990 and has never been changed since, other than minor changes in 2011 regarding PGD. Germany is a country with 83 million inhabitants, where more than 6 million people of reproductive age are facing infertility or difficulties conceiving and delivering a healthy child. Germany also has the oldest and arguably most restrictive law regulating reproductive medicine, especially IVF. By passing a law with such an imposing title and starting the act with a list of prohibitions, 31 years ago German legislators made their intentions very clear: to protect the embryo rather than to help infertile people to become parents using assisted reproductive technology. Since reproductive medicine has developed tremendously in the last 30 years and since the number of people in need of medical assistance to have a child is constantly growing, Germany now is not only far behind other European countries with its legislation but also seems to be against its patients and citizens in need of the assistance of modern medicine to have children. How can we change an inappropriate and archaic law? How can we create a modern law which suits patients' needs without compromising ethics? How can reproductive medicine in Germany come back on track again and serve the people by evidence based medicine in the first place?I