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| Human egg donation decision due | Human egg donation decision due |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The UK's fertility regulator is expected to announce that stem cell researchers can recruit egg donors not already having treatment. | The UK's fertility regulator is expected to announce that stem cell researchers can recruit egg donors not already having treatment. |
| The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has faced criticism, as it has given one team the go-ahead before the end of a consultation on the issue. | The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has faced criticism, as it has given one team the go-ahead before the end of a consultation on the issue. |
| Some scientists say they need human eggs for the creation of embryos from which stem cells can be derived. | Some scientists say they need human eggs for the creation of embryos from which stem cells can be derived. |
| But critics say egg donation involves potential health risks. | But critics say egg donation involves potential health risks. |
| It is just to early for us to be encouarging this to happen Dr Stephen MingerKing's College London | It is just to early for us to be encouarging this to happen Dr Stephen MingerKing's College London |
| The HFEA will make its ruling at a board meeting in London. | The HFEA will make its ruling at a board meeting in London. |
| If it does give the go-ahead, women taking part could claim up to £250 in expenses. | If it does give the go-ahead, women taking part could claim up to £250 in expenses. |
| Earlier this year, the team at the Centre for Life in Newcastle was awarded a temporary licence to offer discounted IVF treatment if patients donate eggs for research. | Earlier this year, the team at the Centre for Life in Newcastle was awarded a temporary licence to offer discounted IVF treatment if patients donate eggs for research. |
| But it emerged that, in November, the centre was also given the UK's first licence to begin recruiting women donors who are not already having medical treatment - so-called altruistic donation, leading to criticism of the HFEA. | But it emerged that, in November, the centre was also given the UK's first licence to begin recruiting women donors who are not already having medical treatment - so-called altruistic donation, leading to criticism of the HFEA. |
| The authority said: "The recent decision to allow one centre to carry out altruistic egg donation for research will not affect the outcome of the consultation. | The authority said: "The recent decision to allow one centre to carry out altruistic egg donation for research will not affect the outcome of the consultation. |
| "The HFEA has a statutory obligation to consider research applications as they come in and therefore must deal with them." | "The HFEA has a statutory obligation to consider research applications as they come in and therefore must deal with them." |
| Professor Alison Murdoch, who is director of the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life, said: "Women are capable of making their own minds up about whether or not they donate their eggs for research. Society should respect their autonomy." | |
| Premature | Premature |
| Dr Stephen Minger, an expert in stem cell research at King's College London, said work using human eggs was still in its infancy, and it was premature to be encouraging women to hand over their eggs for research. | Dr Stephen Minger, an expert in stem cell research at King's College London, said work using human eggs was still in its infancy, and it was premature to be encouraging women to hand over their eggs for research. |
| He said the method used to retrieve eggs required the use of powerful hormones, and the insertion of a needle through the wall of the uterus. | He said the method used to retrieve eggs required the use of powerful hormones, and the insertion of a needle through the wall of the uterus. |
| "Many of us have said lets perfect this technology using alternative sources of eggs, such as cow eggs, until it does become justified to look for altruistic donation of eggs for these procedures. | "Many of us have said lets perfect this technology using alternative sources of eggs, such as cow eggs, until it does become justified to look for altruistic donation of eggs for these procedures. |
| "I think it is just to early for us to be encouraging this to happen." | "I think it is just to early for us to be encouraging this to happen." |
| Josephine Quintavalle, director of the campaign group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: "Safeguarding donors should be the only objective of the HFEA. | Josephine Quintavalle, director of the campaign group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: "Safeguarding donors should be the only objective of the HFEA. |
| "It is not their role to facilitate the tissue requirements of the research lobby." | "It is not their role to facilitate the tissue requirements of the research lobby." |
| She added: "Risks associated with egg harvesting are widely acknowledged, particularly in response to ovarian hyperstimulation." | She added: "Risks associated with egg harvesting are widely acknowledged, particularly in response to ovarian hyperstimulation." |
| But fertility expert, Lord Robert Winston, said he could see no problem with paying women to donate eggs for research as it already happens for other tissues, for example in patients giving samples as part of drug trials. | But fertility expert, Lord Robert Winston, said he could see no problem with paying women to donate eggs for research as it already happens for other tissues, for example in patients giving samples as part of drug trials. |
| However, he added that there was another issue that needed to be dealt with - women being offered free IVF treatment in return for donating their eggs to other women with fertility problems. | However, he added that there was another issue that needed to be dealt with - women being offered free IVF treatment in return for donating their eggs to other women with fertility problems. |
| "Women have been paying for eggs in Britain for a very long time, because there is egg sharing and what happens is there is a bartering, a trade in eggs, which is really quite worrying and the HFEA have sanctioned that. | "Women have been paying for eggs in Britain for a very long time, because there is egg sharing and what happens is there is a bartering, a trade in eggs, which is really quite worrying and the HFEA have sanctioned that. |
| "And large numbers of women are undoubtedly going abroad to buy eggs, which is a very unsatisfactory situation," he said. | "And large numbers of women are undoubtedly going abroad to buy eggs, which is a very unsatisfactory situation," he said. |
| Professor Chris Higgins, director of the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College said: "I am sure the HFEA will, as usual, make a wise decision to ensure that informed volunteers can participate in medical research which will benefit all of us. | Professor Chris Higgins, director of the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College said: "I am sure the HFEA will, as usual, make a wise decision to ensure that informed volunteers can participate in medical research which will benefit all of us. |
| "After all, an egg is just another cell." | "After all, an egg is just another cell." |