Media Release, 3 May 2019

 

Major initiative to close information gaps on cross border reproduction in the Asia Pacific

 

A powerful task force of scientists and clinicians specialising in assisted conception have mounted a major campaign to close gaps in knowledge about cross border reproduction in the Asia Pacific region.

 

Each year thousands of infertile couples travel the world for third party reproduction in the quest to achieve their dream of parenthood.

 

The Asia Pacific region in particular has been a booming market for procedures such as sperm, egg and embryo donation and gestational carriage, or surrogacy.

 

However, the extent of this activity is not fully understood and there are concerns about the quality and safety for all stakeholders, including children born from these assisted reproductive procedures.

 

The 9th Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE 2019) being held in Hong Kong will progress an initiative to gather vital information on cross border reproductive care from 21 countries in the region, and implement a framework of consistent guidelines and standards of care.

 

Dr Clare Boothroyd, one of Australia’s leading fertility specialists and Vice-President of ASPIRE, said the survey would be far reaching to engage with donors, recipients, brokers, providers of infertility services, governments and community groups.

 

Many couples seeking cross border reproduction through treatments such as oocyte donation or gestational carriage have to travel across a minefield of varying legal and regulatory controls in different destinations.

 

Unmarried couples experiencing infertility, and same sex couples wanting to have a baby, face even more challenging barriers to treatment in many countries.

 

“Many people throughout the world are willing to travel to access assisted reproductive procedures that may be prohibited, restricted or too costly in their own countries,” Dr Boothroyd said.

 

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“We have formed the working party to get the information we need on this activity throughout the Asia Pacific region with a clear commitment to enhance the quality and consistency of care within clear ethical and equitable guidelines,” she said.

 

“Our concerns currently include issues of infection control, rights and legal protection for all parties, levels of fertility counselling, aspects of commerciality and traceability.”

 

ASPIRE membership includes scientists, clinicians, embryologists, nurses and infertility counsellors in 21 countries who are committed to promote awareness of infertility and to improve access to quality assisted reproductive technologies.

 

“The ASPIRE Congress at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is the ideal platform to promote the initiative to close the information gap on cross border reproductive care, and to set in motion the standards that are necessary for the well-being of all parties, especially children born from assisted conception,” Dr Boothroyd said.

 

She said the objective was to help people experiencing infertility to make more informed decisions about accessing services that may result in the healthy children they so desire.

 

The ASPIRE 2019 Congress has attracted around 1,600 delegates to address latest scientific and clinical advances in assisted reproduction.  It officially opened today (Friday) and will run until Sunday.

 

缩小亚太地区跨境生殖技术差距的主要举措

 

由科学家和临床医生组建的，一个强大且专业的辅助受孕工作组已经开展了一项重大活动，以缩小亚太地区跨境生殖医学知识方面的差距。

 

每年都有成千上万的不孕症夫妇前往世界各地寻求辅助生殖的帮助，以实现他们称为父母的梦想。

 

特别是亚太地区，精子、卵子、胚胎捐赠、辅助妊娠、传统代孕等市场蓬勃发展。

 

但是，这一活动的程度尚未完全明确，这关系到所有利益相关者的品质和安全，包括从这些辅助生殖技术进程中出生的儿童。

 

在香港举行的第九届亚太地区生殖医学会议（ASPIRE 2019）旨在收集亚太地区21个国家的跨境生殖保健相关重要信息，并对其实施一致的指导方针和标准。 。

 

作为澳大利亚生育专家的ASPIRE副主席Clare Boothroyd博士表示说，这项调查将与捐赠者，受助者，代理商，不孕症服务提供者，政府和社区团体多方进行接触。

 

许多寻求通过跨境生殖技术，如卵母细胞捐赠或辅助妊娠等治疗的夫妇，不得不面对不同地区法律下监管控制的雷区。

 

很多国家，患有不孕症的未婚夫妇和想要生育的同性伴侣，在治疗方面则会面临更具挑战性的阻碍。

 

Boothroyd博士说：“全世界范围内的许多人都愿意前往并尝试可能在本国禁止，限制或成本过高的辅助生殖手术。

 

“我们已成立工作组，以便在整个亚太地区获得这一活动所需的信息，切实承诺在明确的道德和公平指导方针内提高护理的质量和一致性，”她说。

 

“我们目前的担忧包括感染控制，各方权利和法律保护，生育咨询水平，商业性和可追溯性。”

 

ASPIRE的成员包括21个国家的科学家，临床医生，胚胎学家，护士和不孕症顾问，他们致力于提高对不孕症的认识和获得优质辅助生殖技术的机会。

 

“香港会议展览中心的ASPIRE大会是促进缩小跨境生殖医学信息差距的理想平台，并制定各方所需的标准，特别是通过辅助生殖技术出生的儿童，“Boothroyd博士说。

 

她说，其目的是帮助那些患有不孕症的人做出更明智的决定，以获得相关的服务，帮助他们获得期望中的健康儿童。

 

ASPIRE 2019年会议吸引了约1,600名代表来讨论辅助生殖医学的最新科学和临床进展。会议于今天（星期五）正式开放，将持续到星期日。