The embryos made with oocytes or sperm of anonymous and frozen donors before March 31, can always be used after this date.
- The transitional period of the bioethics law ends on March 31.
- From this date, it will no longer be possible to carry out in vitro fertilization (IVF) with gametes from anonymous donors.
- Nevertheless, embryos from IVF involving a third party donor and produced before this date can always be used, according to the Ministry of Health.
From March 31, it will no longer be possible to carry out in vitro fertilization (IVF) with gametes from anonymous donors. On the other hand, “embryos from IVF involving a third party donor and made before this date”Can always be used, indicates a Communiqué from the Ministry of Health.
The end of the transitional period of the bioethics law
Promulgated in August 2021, the bioethics law expanded medically assisted procreation (PMA) to couples of women and women alone, in addition to heterosexual couples. She also provided that children born of medically assisted procreation (PMA) can have access to the identifying or unidentifying data from their donor, which therefore excludes anonymous donations from gametes.
But, in September 2022, a transitional period was established and allowed the use of gametes of anonymous donors. “” “This period, defined to ensure a sufficient stock of gametes and not extend the time to care for patients, will end on March 30, 2025”. Children born of these IVFs will therefore not be able to have access to donor information.
“” “As of March 31, 2025, gametes of anonymous donors will no longer be used for artificial or vitro fertilization procedures (IVF), said the government’s press release. This deadline marks the end of a practice where the anonymity of the donor pretends to the right to information of the person born of a donation”.
During an IVF process, several embryos can be obtained during fertilization. But only one or two of them are then transferred to the woman’s uterus. The others can then be cryoconse and used during another thawing cycle, according to the Vaud university hospital center.
The use of embryos from anonymous donors can limit access to origins
The end of the transitional period had raised fears of the destruction of the embryos from IVF with gametes of anonymous donors. The government therefore reassured by authorizing their use. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Health recalls that “their use could however limit the exercise of the right of access to the origins”.
“” “This is why the AMP centers will fully inform the beneficiaries about the status of these embryos, said the press release. Before any use, a document attesting to this information will be submitted to them for signature”.
“” “Common sense ended up prevailing, and above all the interest of the couple and respect for their project, and especially respect for the informed consent contract that they have been signed in due time“Indicates Samir Semaamah, professor of medicine and reproductive biology and head of service at the Montpellier University Hospital, at the France Press Agency (AFP).
In France, medical assistance to procreation (AMP) concerns approximately one in thirty, according to theNational Medicines Safety and Health Products Agency (ANSM). In vitro fertilization (IVF) represents 63 % of AMP attempts, according to The National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm).
