The question of human embryo research, which is specifically mentioned in the 2013 law, is again being debated in the current Health bill, which the Senate will finish examining on Tuesday October 6th, by a final vote on the totality of the articles.
On April 10, 2015, while the Health bill was being examined in a public session of the National Assembly, an amendment aiming to modify the public Health code was submitted by the Government.
It involved the creation of a new research program for human embryos to be included in Medically Assisted Reproduction, and research on gametes destined to become embryos, stipulating that “biomedical research carried out for medically assisted reproduction can be performed on gametes destined to become embryos, or on in vitro embryos, before or after their transfer, for gestational purposes, if each member of the couple consents.” (Article 37)
Last July, while the text was being examined by the social affairs Commission in the Senate, the rapporteurs remarked that this kind of legislation is equivalent to revising the bioethical laws, and they discarded this provision which was aimed at “answering contentious issues pending before the State Counsel”. This article was not included in a new amendment during the Senate hearing.
