| 520 | |aTest tube babies, fertility drugs, egg and embryo donation, womb rental, gene therapy and sex selection are all issues fraught with implications -- social, ethical, legal, health, scientific and economic. As science continually pushes forward the frontiers of reproductive technology, more Canadians realize that such technology can be misused, with harmful consequences for individuals and for society. The work of the commission, chaired by Patricia Baird, spanned four years of intensive research, consultation and deliberation. The result is a report with an exhaustive analysis of the issues and a set of far-reaching recommendations. While the Commission concluded that some reproductive technologies and some of their uses are unethical and contrary to Canadians' values, it found that others are potentially beneficial, if used ethically and responsibly. Hence the need for a system to oversee, licence, and monitor activities in this field. Having children and ensuring that they are healthy are fundamentally important goals to most Canadians. This volume reviews the social values and attitudes of Canadians toward new reproductive technologies, including key findings from a national survey conducted on infertility, surrogacy, fetal tissue research, and reproductive technologies. |
|---|