Government of Canada proposes new regulations to support Canadians who use reproductive technologies

OTTAWA, Oct. 26, 2018 /CNW/ - More and more Canadians are turning to assisted human reproduction, including in utero insemination and surrogacy, to help build their families. Canadians expect to be able to use these technologies safely and with peace of mind.

Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, announced the launch of consultations on proposed new regulations that will help protect and promote the health and safety of people who use, or are born of, assisted human reproduction. The proposed regulations reflect the latest scientific and technological advancements and will offer Canadians more options for building their families.

Health Canada is proposing three sets of new regulations under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act. Specifically, the proposed regulations would:

• establish a health and safety framework for third-party donor sperm and ova;
• identify the categories of expenditures that may be reimbursed to donors and surrogates;
• establish procedures regarding administration and enforcement of the Act; and
• make minor updates to the existing consent regulations, including the introduction of a record retention requirement.

Canadians are encouraged to review the proposed regulations and to provide comments to Health Canada by January 10, 2019. The Department is also planning to engage Canadians in person on the proposed regulations. For further details on this engagement opportunity, please check the Government of Canada's Assisted Human Reproduction page.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is taking necessary steps to help Canadians who use reproductive technologies to do so safely, and with peace of mind. New proposed regulations will help protect the health and safety of women and children across Canada. They will also offer couples dealing with infertility, single people, same-sex couples and other members of the LGBTQ2 community flexibility in building their families."

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health

Quick Facts

• An increasing number of Canadians—including couples struggling with infertility, single people, same-sex couples and other members of the LGBTQ2 community—are turning to assisted human reproduction to help build their families.
• The Assisted Human Reproduction Act was introduced in 2004 to help protect Canadians by prohibiting activities related to assisted human reproduction that may pose significant human health and safety risks, or have been deemed to be ethically unacceptable or incompatible with Canadian values.
• The regulatory proposal is based on what was heard from Canadians following the posting of a Notice of Intent in October 2016.

Related Products
Backgrounder: Directed-Donation Process for Sperm and Ova Donors 
Backgrounder: Reimbursing donors and surrogates 
Canada Gazette, Part I: Volume 152, No. 43
Guidance document: Interpretation of the proposed regulations under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act
Health Canada Directive: Technical Requirements for Conducting the Suitability Assessment of Sperm and Ova Donors
Consultation on proposed assisted human reproduction regulations

Associated Links
Assisted Human Reproduction—Legislation and Guidelines
What We Heard Report: A Summary of Feedback from the Consultation: Toward a Strengthened Assisted Human Reproduction Act
Consultation Paper: Towards a Strengthened Assisted Human Reproduction Act
Notice of intent to interested parties — Intent to develop regulations under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act

SOURCE Health Canada

Thierry Bélair, Office of Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, [phone]; Media Relations, Health Canada, [phone], [email protected]; Public Inquiries: [phone], 1-866 225-0709