2005-100September 19, 2005For immediate release
OTTAWA -- Health Canada announced today the publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I, of proposed regulations under section 8 of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act. The purpose of section 8 of the Act is to ensure that the use of human reproductive material to create embryos, and the use of in vitro embryos for any purpose, occurs only with the donor's written consent.
The Act deals with informed consent in a number of provisions and in different contexts. However, section 8 focusses specifically on written consent to use, which is an essential component of the consent framework. Unless a donor has given written consent, the section prohibits using human reproductive material to create an embryo, removing reproductive material from a donor's body after death for the purpose of creating an embryo, and using an in vitro embryo for any purpose. The storage or destruction of human reproductive material or in vitro embryos will be dealt with in future regulatory proposals currently under development.
The regulatory proposal for the section 8 regulations was developed in consultation with Canadians. Publication of this proposal in Canada Gazette, Part I, allows for a comment period of 75 days. Following this period, appropriate changes will be made and the proposal will be reviewed by Parliament. The regulations will take effect when they are published in the Canada
Gazette, Part II, which is expected to be in the spring of 2006.
Regulations supporting the Assisted Human Reproduction Act are being developed by Health Canada and will be administered by the Assisted Human Reproduction Agency of Canada, which will be established in January 2006. The objectives of the Agency are to protect the health and dignity of Canadians who
use assisted reproduction procedures, and to foster the application of ethical principles in relation to assisted human reproduction.
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