Mumbai (By Jyoti Shelar/ Mumbai Mirror) : In a first,
Maharashtra has got its own set of guidelines to regulate surrogacy in the
state. A twomember team comprising top gynaecologists, appointed by the
Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), has formulated state-specific surrogacy
guidelines and the draft was submitted to the council for scrutiny last week.
The team comprises
eminent gynaecologist Dr Sanjay Gupte from Pune and gynaecologist Dr Bipin
Pandit from Mumbai. The decision to form the guidelines was triggered in April,
after the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) pulled up city's top
three surrogacy clinics for flouting visa norms related to couples seeking
surrogacy.
Need for legal framework to regulate surrogacy: CSR
New Delhi (Business Standard) : There is an urgent need for a rights-based legal framework to
regulate surrogacy in India, an organisation working for social causes
said Thursday.
"The unregulated reproductive tourism industry of 'procreating' through surrogacy is rapidly increasing in India while there is still no legal provision to safeguard the interests of all the major stakeholders involved in the surrogacy arrangement," the Centre for Social Research (CSR) said.
"The unregulated reproductive tourism industry of 'procreating' through surrogacy is rapidly increasing in India while there is still no legal provision to safeguard the interests of all the major stakeholders involved in the surrogacy arrangement," the Centre for Social Research (CSR) said.
Delhi now ‘surrogacy capital’ of India
New Delhi (Sanjay Kaw/The Asian Age) : Delhi is fast emerging as a major hub for surrogacy in the country.
An in-depth study conducted by the Centre for Social Research has
indicated that about 50 clinics in the city are carrying out surrogacy
procedures here. Estimates show that each clinic delivers about 250
children through surrogate mothers every year.
“What was once limited to a few cities in the country has spread all over the national capital,” CSR director Ranjana Kumari told this newspaper. “There is no proper law to regulate the billion dollar rent-a-womb industry in the country.”
Dr Kumari said that so far about 40,000 to 45,000 children are reported to have been born through surrogacy in the entire country. A study conducted by the CSR in Anand, Surat and Jamnagar showed that a majority of surrogate mothers belonged to economically-weaker families. The average monthly income of these women was found between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000. Most of these women belonged to Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and slums of Mumbai.
“What was once limited to a few cities in the country has spread all over the national capital,” CSR director Ranjana Kumari told this newspaper. “There is no proper law to regulate the billion dollar rent-a-womb industry in the country.”
Dr Kumari said that so far about 40,000 to 45,000 children are reported to have been born through surrogacy in the entire country. A study conducted by the CSR in Anand, Surat and Jamnagar showed that a majority of surrogate mothers belonged to economically-weaker families. The average monthly income of these women was found between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000. Most of these women belonged to Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and slums of Mumbai.
The Karnataka Legislative Committee urges to govt to regulate surrogacy
BANGALORE : The Karnataka Legislative Committee asked the government to formulate a law to protect the
socio-economic interests of surrogate mothers and to save them from
exploitation. It observed that there is an increase in advertisements
from hospitals and illegal clinics which cater to the needs of childless
couples and urged the government to set up an accreditation authority
to regulate the assisted reproductive services offered by private
medical institutions.
The committee said there is no legislation in force in the country to protect surrogate mothers. Pointing out that there is a huge demand from abroad for Indian surrogate mothers as surrogacy is a costly and complicated affair in foreign countries, the committee said India may become a medical tourism destination in future.
Surrogacy has turned into a business and is being controlled by touts, the committee observed and said Health and Family Welfare Department should ensure that poor women offering themselves as surrogate mothers are not exploited.
The committee said there is no legislation in force in the country to protect surrogate mothers. Pointing out that there is a huge demand from abroad for Indian surrogate mothers as surrogacy is a costly and complicated affair in foreign countries, the committee said India may become a medical tourism destination in future.
Surrogacy has turned into a business and is being controlled by touts, the committee observed and said Health and Family Welfare Department should ensure that poor women offering themselves as surrogate mothers are not exploited.
Top surrogacy clinics under MMC scanner
Mumbai (Police commissioner
names Bandra's Rotunda, Andheri's Corion, and Lilavati's surrogacy
clinic in his letter to the Maharashtra Medical Council.
Three of the city's top surrogacy clinics are under the scanner after Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria recently raised a red flag over possible visa norms violations by them.
The Maharashtra Medical Council has now constituted a two-member committee to look into surrogacy practices of Bandra's Rotunda Fertility Clinic, Andheri's Corion Fertility Clinic, and the surrogacy clinic at the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra. The committee comprises gynaecologist Dr Sanjay Gupte from Pune and senior gynaecologist Dr Bipin Pandit of Mumbai.
Sources said that the Foreigners Regional Registration Office -- which regulates the registration, movement, and stay of foreign nationals - had detected abuse of visa norms by the three clinics. One of the main discrepancies observed was that people travelling on tourist visas were being allowed to undergo surrogacy procedures.
Three of the city's top surrogacy clinics are under the scanner after Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria recently raised a red flag over possible visa norms violations by them.
The Maharashtra Medical Council has now constituted a two-member committee to look into surrogacy practices of Bandra's Rotunda Fertility Clinic, Andheri's Corion Fertility Clinic, and the surrogacy clinic at the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra. The committee comprises gynaecologist Dr Sanjay Gupte from Pune and senior gynaecologist Dr Bipin Pandit of Mumbai.
Sources said that the Foreigners Regional Registration Office -- which regulates the registration, movement, and stay of foreign nationals - had detected abuse of visa norms by the three clinics. One of the main discrepancies observed was that people travelling on tourist visas were being allowed to undergo surrogacy procedures.
Surrogacy Bill set to be finalised
New Delhi (TEENA THACKER |Deccan Chronicle) : Aimed at regulating surrogacy in India, the Assisted Reproductive
Technology (regulation) Bill is all set to be finalised soon. The Union
health ministry will hold a two-day consultation with all the
stakeholders, including the Planning Commission this week.
The Planning Commission has so far been apprehensive about the proposed draft of the Bill finalised by the health ministry. Officials in the health ministry are aiming now to finalise the draft Bill so that it can be introduced in the Parliament without any further delay.
The Bill was first drafted five years ago. While the health ministry was considering to approach the law ministry for amending the draft, the Planning Commission raised objections over the proposed bill and asked the ministry to consult them before the final draft is sent to the law ministry.
“The ART Bill that aims to regulate surrogacy in the country has been delayed since 2008 when the first draft was prepared. It was revised in 2010 but is yet to get a final approval from the law ministry,” an official said.
It is, however, learnt that the new draft may allow surrogacy to all including unmarried couples and those in live-in relationships.
Ref: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140414/nation-current-affairs/article/assisted-reproductive-technology-bill-set-be-finalised
The Planning Commission has so far been apprehensive about the proposed draft of the Bill finalised by the health ministry. Officials in the health ministry are aiming now to finalise the draft Bill so that it can be introduced in the Parliament without any further delay.
The Bill was first drafted five years ago. While the health ministry was considering to approach the law ministry for amending the draft, the Planning Commission raised objections over the proposed bill and asked the ministry to consult them before the final draft is sent to the law ministry.
“The ART Bill that aims to regulate surrogacy in the country has been delayed since 2008 when the first draft was prepared. It was revised in 2010 but is yet to get a final approval from the law ministry,” an official said.
It is, however, learnt that the new draft may allow surrogacy to all including unmarried couples and those in live-in relationships.
Ref: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140414/nation-current-affairs/article/assisted-reproductive-technology-bill-set-be-finalised
Maharashtra Medical Council forms panel to regularise surrogacy
Mumbai : (DNA/ Santosh Andhale and Somita Pal) : In a first in India, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has
decided to formulate rules and regulations on surrogacy and has formed a
committee for the same. The step was taken after the Mumbai police
commissioner wrote a complaint letter to the MMC alleging malpractice on
part of city's three leading infertility experts, who are from the
surrogacy sector.
MMC is a statutory body that has the power to suspend a doctor's licence if s/he is found guilty of malpractice.
Currently, the surrogacy treatment is unchecked, unsupervised and not regularised. According to sources, there are around 70-80 IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) centres in Mumbai and 200 in the state, with the numbers rising over the past few months. The cost of the treatment runs into lakhs.
MMC is a statutory body that has the power to suspend a doctor's licence if s/he is found guilty of malpractice.
Currently, the surrogacy treatment is unchecked, unsupervised and not regularised. According to sources, there are around 70-80 IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) centres in Mumbai and 200 in the state, with the numbers rising over the past few months. The cost of the treatment runs into lakhs.
No visa needed for OCIs & PIOs coming for surrogacy
New Delhi (The Hindu) : Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) and Persons of Indian
Origin (PIOs) can fly to the country without a medical visa for
commissioning surrogacy. Foreigners will, however, have to continue
obtaining a visa.
A Home Ministry order says a couple
with an OCI or PIO card, married for at least two years, would have to
take permission only from the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office
(FRRO) or the Foreigners’ Registration Office (FRO). They must, however,
carry a letter from their country, issued by the Foreign Ministry or
the Embassy here, saying it recognised surrogacy and that the child born
thus would be permitted entry as the couple’s biological offspring.
Banglore : Head of surrogacy clinic held for 'cheating'
Bangalore (Deccan Herald) : The founder of a hi-tech surrogacy clinic in Basaveshwarnagar
has been arrested and sent to jail on the charge of “cheating” more
than 30 people who alleged that he failed to keep his promise to help
them get babies through surrogacy and egg donation.
K T Gurumurthy, the founder and managing director of Shrushti Global Medicare and Research Foundation, was arrested by Kamakshipalya police after more than 30 people made a complaint of cheating against him.
The complainants alleged that Gurumurthy had pocketed lakhs of rupees from them, promising to help them get babies through surrogacy and egg donation, police said. Gurumurthy was produced before the 5th ACMM court which remanded him in judicial custody till January 27, said DCP (West) Labhu Ram. He added that police would investigate whether the foundation had obtained the necessary permission to conduct the surrogacy procedures and how Gurumurthy “cheated” innocent people.
The foundation, on its website (http://www.shrushtifertility.com/home.html), has stated that it is the “one and only hi-tech surrogate centre in South India offering comprehensive, value-based assisted reproductive technology programmes for clients across the world since 1999.”
A 29-member team runs the foundation. “We ensure that egg donation and the surrogacy arrangements through us are managed by an attorney, doctors and psychologists. This team assists in providing prompt, personal service to help make the right decision regarding your egg donors, surrogates or intended parents,” says an introduction on the website.
K T Gurumurthy, the founder and managing director of Shrushti Global Medicare and Research Foundation, was arrested by Kamakshipalya police after more than 30 people made a complaint of cheating against him.
The complainants alleged that Gurumurthy had pocketed lakhs of rupees from them, promising to help them get babies through surrogacy and egg donation, police said. Gurumurthy was produced before the 5th ACMM court which remanded him in judicial custody till January 27, said DCP (West) Labhu Ram. He added that police would investigate whether the foundation had obtained the necessary permission to conduct the surrogacy procedures and how Gurumurthy “cheated” innocent people.
The foundation, on its website (http://www.shrushtifertility.com/home.html), has stated that it is the “one and only hi-tech surrogate centre in South India offering comprehensive, value-based assisted reproductive technology programmes for clients across the world since 1999.”
A 29-member team runs the foundation. “We ensure that egg donation and the surrogacy arrangements through us are managed by an attorney, doctors and psychologists. This team assists in providing prompt, personal service to help make the right decision regarding your egg donors, surrogates or intended parents,” says an introduction on the website.
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