CGS-authored
NEW YORK (AP) - The California fertility doctor who implanted the octuplet mom with lots of embryos was no lone wolf: Fewer than 20 percent of U.S. clinics follow professional guidelines on how many embryos should be used for younger women. "Clearly, most programs are not adhering to the guidelines," said Dr. Bradley Van Voorhis, director of the fertility clinic at the University of Iowa.
The furor over Nadya Suleman and her octuplets has brought scrutiny to U.S. fertility clinics and how well they observe the guidelines, which are purely voluntary. The controversy had led to talk of passing laws to regulate clinics, something that has already been done in Western Europe.
"There are enough clinics that quite openly flout professional guidelines that we really do need to start thinking about public policy in this area," said Marcy Darnovsky of the Oakland, Calif.-based Center for Genetics and Society, a public interest group. "I think it's way overdue."
The 20 percent figure is contained in reports filed by clinics with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Fertility doctors say there...
The furor over Nadya Suleman and her octuplets has brought scrutiny to U.S. fertility clinics and how well they observe the guidelines, which are purely voluntary. The controversy had led to talk of passing laws to regulate clinics, something that has already been done in Western Europe.
"There are enough clinics that quite openly flout professional guidelines that we really do need to start thinking about public policy in this area," said Marcy Darnovsky of the Oakland, Calif.-based Center for Genetics and Society, a public interest group. "I think it's way overdue."
The 20 percent figure is contained in reports filed by clinics with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Fertility doctors say there...