Friday Legal Updates - Florida Personhood, UK Update, Wisconsin Surrogacy Insurance, & Croatia
Wow, can you believe that summer is officially over already? I can't because of the blistering heat here in Southern California; however, another Friday is upon us with some legal updates for your thoughts and comments.
Florida - Last November, Colorado pro-life groups placed a ballot measure before the voters in order to extend "personhood" to the moment of conception. This amendment was rejected by 73% of the voters in Colorado; however, the groups have now set their sites on Florida. The new amendment would define even a newly formed embryo as a person. The implications of this becoming law is an issue those suffering from infertility and living in Florida need to consider.
Wisconsin - Two women have filed a case in Wisconsin where their insurers have denied them maternity coverage due to the fact that they were surrogates. This issue is now before the State Supreme Court, so we will have to wait and see how this one ends and if it will have implications elsewhere.
UK - Women whose embryos were to be destroyed in the next few weeks have been given an extension. With the new HFEA of 2008, which comes into force on October 1, everyone with embryos in storage will be able to keep them there for a decade versus the previous law of 5 years. "These new rules will come into effect on October 1 and I will be seeking to make an Order to Parliament to ensure this applies to embryos that are 'out of time' on that date."
Professor Lisa Jardine, chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), said: "I am delighted that the Government has listened and made this common-sense decision.
"This will be an enormous relief to all of those people who faced the heartbreak of seeing their embryos destroyed all because of a matter of timing. We will be contacting clinics immediately so that they can inform the patients concerned and make appropriate arrangements for the continued storage of their embryos."
Croatia - The government moved Thursday to amend a law involving IVF after strong criticism from human rights and parents groups over its criteria for couples entitled to treatment.
"Under the amendments forwarded to parliament, couples will now only have to sign a notarised statement confirming they are in a relationship rather than have to prove before a court they have been together for three years, Health Minister Darko Milinovic told a cabinet session.
Also as part of the changes, children conceived by donated eggs or sperm will now be allowed to obtain information about his or her biological parents once turning 18 only if donors have given their prior agreement.
However provisions in the law which ban the freezing of embryos will not be altered.
Croatia's original legislation on medically assisted reproduction dates back to 1978, when the world's first test-tube baby was born. The former Yugoslav republic had its first IVF baby five years later."
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