“The new possibility given to women to donate egg cells for cloning is shameful”, said Michaela O’Sullivan, spokesperson of “Life”, the British pro-like movement, commenting on news that the Human Fertilization and Embriology Authority (Hfea) has decided to liberalise the law regarding egg donation for cloning experiments and make it easier for women in the United Kingdom to donate eggs destined to become embryos for scientific experimentation. Hitherto egg donation was only permitted in the context of Ivf, in vitro fertilization. Only in recent days has the news broken of a further liberalization of the law that will further widen the scope of the experimentation on human embryos. Women who suffer from diseases which cloning may potentially cure in the future will now be able to donate their eggs and the sum of money they would receive for this ‘service’ would be significantly increased. “It is disgraceful that the Hfea is to entice women to undergo invasive and risky operations in order to facilitate experimental research that offers no immediate hope of cures”, said Michaela O’Sullivan. “While the Hfea will refer to ‘safeguards’ in an attempt to reassure potential donors, they cannot refute the evidence that shows ovarian hyper-stimulation to be unnatural, unsafe and unnecessary in the quest to find new therapies. This announcement the Life spokesperson added provides yet more evidence of the need for Parliament to strip the Hfea of its powers. For years it has been out of control, now it is completely out of its mind!”.
