In a significant move, the Medical Council has revised its ethical guidelines on in-vitro fertilisation in order to encourage the donation of unused embryos to other couples experiencing difficulties having children.
The Irish Times has learned that, at a full council meeting on Thursday at which the latest ethical guidelines were finalised, it was unanimously agreed to amend section 26.4 of the guide which deals with the issue of IVF.
The following wording will now be added: "If couples have validly decided not to make use of their own embryos, the potential for voluntary donation to other couples exists."
While couched in the traditionally guarded language of the "Guide to Ethical Conduct and Behaviour" a senior Medical Council source said the motive for change was to encourage doctors to counsel patients undergoing IVF treatment to donate "left over" embryos (fertilised eggs) to other childless couples.
Successful in-vitro fertilisation results in the production of a significant number of excess embryos which are currently stored.
Frozen human embryos undergo a process of biological decay, but are considered viable for safe transplantation up to a year after they have been stored, The Medical Council now will allow doctors to discuss the donation of such embryos with couples. "The idea is that these embryos can now be donated to other infertile couples with informed, educated consent on both sides," the source said.
Asked whether this would require the involvement of the Adoption Board, the source said that while the council wished to emphasise the process of donation, the logical conclusion of a donation would be that potential recipients would need appropriate screening and counselling, similar to that involved in the adoption process.
The amended IVF section of the ethical guidelines, to be published shortly, will now read: "Techniques such as IVF should only be used after thorough investigation has failed to reveal a treatable cause for the infertility.
"Prior to fertilisation of an ovum, extensive discussion and counselling is essential.
"Any fertilised ovum must be used for normal implantation and must not be deliberately destroyed. If couples have validly decided not to make use of their own embryos, the potential for voluntary donation to other couples exists."