Why we should use mild stimulation in egg donation
By Guido Pennings,
BioNews
| 11. 30. 2020
There are two strong ethical reasons to avoid harm to egg donors: a duty to minimise harm and the proportionality rule. The general duty to minimise harm applies to all medical interventions but it is even more relevant for donors because they are submitting to the intervention for the benefit of others. Most forms of body material donation will carry with them some harm. This duty does not make that unacceptable but implies that harm is only acceptable when it is unavoidable, and this duty cannot be bypassed by asking the donor for consent. The informed consent form is not a safe conduct for high risks.
Whenever you mention ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) to a clinician, they will reply that it was indeed a serious problem in the past but that it is under control now. The current stimulation protocols bring the risk of OHSS down to zero. However, one wonders how the statistics can be explained as data from the European IVF-Monitoring Consortium show that severe OHSS has not disappeared. Moreover, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine recently calculated that...
Related Articles
GeneWatch UK has prepared a briefing on the genetic modification of nature for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Congress in October 2025
The upcoming Congress claims to be “where the world comes together to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action.” A major concern for those on the outside is that the Congress may advance plans to develop and encourage the use of synthetic biology in nature conservation. This could at first glance sound like...
By Aaron Ginn, The Washington Post | 09.12.2025
Earlier this year, I had dinner in D.C. with Jensen Huang, the president and chief executive of Nvidia. At one point, he said something that struck me: “Why is everyone here so negative?”
He wasn’t referring to the economy...
By Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times | 08.25.2025
Scientists have dreamed for centuries about using animal organs to treat ailing humans. In recent years, those efforts have begun to bear fruit: Researchers have begun transplanting the hearts and kidneys of genetically modified pigs into patients, with varying degrees...
The Center for Genetics and Society is delighted to recommend the current edition of GMWatch Review – Number 589. UK-based GMWatch, a long-standing ally, was founded in 1998 by Jonathan Matthews as an independent organization seeking to counter the enormous corporate political power and propaganda of the GMO industry and its supporters. Matthews and Claire Robinson are its directors and managing editors.
CGS works to ensure that social justice, equity, human rights, and democratic governance are front...