ART bill to increase awareness on IVF, check malpractices: Experts

The bill seeks to regulate and supervise assisted reproductive technology in clinics and banks, prevent the misuse of technology, and promote ethical practices.

According to the experts, the bill would also be of help to the patients by providing more standardised treatment protocols and making necessary information available to people.

''ART clinics have mushroomed across India, many of which are not registered. Their practices and use of equipment often pose risks. The ART bill would improve the quality of delivery of services in these clinics and prevent malpractices,'' consultant and centre head, Birla Fertility & IVF, Dr Souren Bhattacharya, said.

The legislation will put in place a defined set of regulations in the field of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and other fertility treatments provided in India, he said. Till now, there was no specific law in force in this matter. The bill aims to standardise clinical treatments being provided to patients and address their safety concerns, Bhattacharya maintained.

Echoing him, Dr Jayanta Kr Gupta, director and head of the department, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals here, said many couples have fallen prey to unethical practices.

''Such treatments were prescribed to couples who did not need them. Some clinics were making mothers out of grandmothers. All these practices have to be stopped and stringent law is the only way forward to regulate ART services in India,'' he told PTI.

Another fertility expert, Dr Pankaj Talwar, said the proposed legislation will empower couples by providing them with requisite information about the treatment options.

''In a way, the new bill seeks to improve awareness about IVF and fertility treatments, giving patients a better idea about the rights they enjoy,'' he added.

Lok Sabha had on Wednesday passed by voice vote the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2021, after a detailed discussion among all parties in the House.