Well, I hate to say it but the Octomom did it again. Georgia legislators have now moved to do the following:
"One bill would limit the number of eggs that could be fertilized to three, and only that number could be implanted in the woman. The other bill creates a legal mechanism for the adoption of embryos." In fact, this situation would place an unwanted burden on those wishing to go through embryo donation, including court proceedings, home studies, etc.
Sen. Ralph Hudgens, R-Hull, introduced Senate Bill 169 to prevent a situation in Georgia in which an unemployed woman gives birth to eight babies."Both bills are being proposed in order to ring in the excessed of the fertility industry; however, others think it is a way to restrict abortions.
Embryo Bills Looks at Legal Limitations
Information that I just received is that it has passed Committee, and it is on its way to the Senate, where it is expected to pass.
I am including information from Resolve below for more ways to get involved!
Dear Georgia Residents,
RESOLVE: the National Infertility Association needs your urgent and immediate action on a bill introduced in the Georgia State Senate. The Bill is SB 169 and would severely impact the ability for a patient to receive treatment for infertility in Georgia.
Senate Bill 169 would restrict doctors' ability to perform IVF in accordance with best medical standards. Here are the key provisions:
- No more than 2 or 3 eggs could ever be fertilized in a cycle; if a woman produced more eggs, they still could not be used.
- Only 2 embryos could ever be transferred to the uterus, unless the woman is age 40 or over (then a max of 3).
- No extra embryos could be cryopreserved. If they are created, they have to be transferred.
- No financial relief, such as insurance coverage, is proposed to help with the added financial burden of using less effective treatment. Patients will still have to pay out of pocket for less effective treatment.
- Bans all financial compensation for donor gametes, such as egg donor, sperm donor, or embryo donation, which would greatly reduce the pool of available donors in Georgia.
The Georgia Senate Health & Human Services Committee will hold a hearing on this bill: SB 169 this Thursday, March 5, at 9:00 AM in Room 450 of the State Capitol. At the hearing, the committee will hear testimony on the bill. RESOLVE will be testifying as will a number of physicians in Georgia. RESOLVE and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) oppose. this bill and consider it bad medicine for infertility patients. The hearing is open to the public and RESOLVE encourages you to attend the hearing and send a letter to the Committee members before Thursday. To send a letter immediately, click here:
https://secure2.convio.net/res/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=219
RESOLVE is asking Georgia residents who care about open access to the best care possible to let the Committee members know before Thursday that you oppose these two bills. To send a letter or fax to the Committee, simply click https://secure2.convio.net/res/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=219
for a letter template that will be automatically sent to each of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee members. You can also call your state Senator even if they are not on the Committee and tell them you oppose these two bills. A full list of the Committee members can be found by clicking on the link below, then clicking on the Senators name for a link to their direct contact information:
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/senate/health.php
To find your senator, please go to:
http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/FindLegislator.htm
Sincerely yours,
Barbara Collura
Executive Director, RESOLVE
To view the full text of the bills please follow the links below:
SB 169: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/sum/sb169.htm
