In vitro fertilisation: the major issues

In vitro fertilisation is now an established technique for treating some forms of infertility, yet it remains ethically controversial. New developments, such as embryo donation and embryo freezing, have led to further discussion. We briefly discuss the ethical aspects of IVF, focusing on the issues of resource allocation, the 'unnaturalness' of the procedure, the moral status of the embryo, surrogate motherhood, and restrictions on access to IVF. We argue that, on the whole, IVF is an ethically justifiable method of assisting infertile couples.Two Australians, a professor at the Monash University Centre for Human Bioethics and a member of Parliament, present a summary of a paper they submitted to the Victorian Government Commmittee of Inquiry into the Social, Ethical, and Legal Issues Arising from In Vitro Fertilization. They discuss the ethical implications of IVF, including questions of whether scarce medical resources should be devoted to it, whether the procedure is "natural," the moral status of the embryo and the disposition of excess fertilized ova, surrogate motherhood, and restrictions on access to IVF. They contend that, overall, IVF is an ethically justifiable method of assisting infertile couples.