Designer Babies and Texas - What does everyone think?
No More Illegal Embryos
03:31pm by Pink Lady
This story kind of reminds me of when I had a cabbage patch preemie doll as a young girl (yes, a PREEMIE - those were in high demand) and she came with adoption papers. But this bill is definitely stranger.? A reader told me to check out HB 1703, which would effectively prohibit the transfer of an embryo except in an adoption proceeding. What does this mean? Hell if I know. But it?s sponsored by Sugar Land?s Charlie Howard, which can never be good. According to the bill, the transfer of a human embryo to another person for implantation (who is not the generic parent) must be preceded by a court order authorizing the adoption of the embryo. The petition would read ?In the Interest of the Embryo of [Insert Name Here]. Such as [Cabbage Patch Preemie]. The legislation also forbids ?human embryo trafficking,? which is defined as using in vitro fertilization for selling, buying, or transferring the embryo to a person who is not the genetic parenting. But it?s OK if the embryo is officially adopted. Or something. And, obviously, human embryo trafficking is rampant on the border. According to the Committee report, ?human embryo banks? engage in the business of creating and selling ?designer babies,? while disregarding thousands of frozen embryos already in storage. In other words, let?s think of a way to ban embryonic stem cell research without actually saying embryonic stem cell research. Brilliant! The bill has already been heard by the State Affairs committee and sent to Calendars. Because that?s just the way the Lege rolls embryos. See the legislative history - HB1703. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=80R&Bill=HB1703
This is the first I have heard of this bill, so my comments may not be totally educated. However, this bill seems to be something that will open a legal can of worms, not close the legal loopholes that allow human trafficking.
As I understand the current law in Texas regarding embyro donantion, when a person decides to become a "parent" to a donated embryo, the child resulting from that pregnancy is legally considered the "property" of the birth mother, and has no legal ties to the genetic parent. The current law makes it easier for someone to become a parent to an embryo which would either languish in cryopreservation or be destroyed. If the changes proposed were to become law, then a couple would have to go through a formal adoption process, spending more time and money. It also opens the possiblity of a genetic parent pursuing legal means to reclaim any child resulting from the "adopted" embryo. This law does nothing to protect the right of the adoptive parent.
It seems that there is a perceived need to regulate human embryo trafficking. I guess I didn't realize it was such a problem. I agree something ought to be in place to prevent people from haphazardly creating embryos in hopes of selling them...I just don't see this happening. Any law regulating this needs to be further researched and written so that it protects the rights of the people wanting to donate their existing embryos and those who receive them. We are talking about a donation, not a sale.
If this bill is an attempt to control stem cell research, then it needs to be proposed as such and not allowed to hide under the claims that embryo banks are creating designer babies. From my point of view, as someone who has been trying to conceive our first child for 3 years, through 4 failed IUI's and 1 failed IVF, human embryo banks, are giving the chance of life, to both the prospective parents and the (already existing)frozen embryos. They are keeping more embryos from being donated to science, not encouraging it.
I could go on, but I won't. I guess its now time to contact my Representative. I just wish I'd heard about this earlier.
Thank you,
Stephanie Jones
Austin, TX