The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has drafted a bill for Assisted Reproductive Technologies. This bill is yet to become an act, but introduction of the same will take things a long way in checking several unethical practices in the field of assisted reproductive technologies in India.
According to the bill, any fertility center has to strictly adhere to the following.
- The clinic should have a well-qualified team of doctors including a Gynaecologist, Andrologist, Clinical Embryologist, Counsellor and a Program Coordinator.
- There should be a distinction between the sterile and non-sterile area in the hospital. There should be no overlap between the two.
- The non-sterile are includes:
- A reception and waiting room
- An examination room with privacy
- A store room and record room
- A general laboratory
- Vermin-proofing of the centre (since pesticides could affect the gametes and embryos)
- A private semen collection facility with access to a toilet, washbasin, soap and towels. This facility should not be used for any other purpose
- A separate semen processing laboratory
- A cleanroom for IUI
- An IVF center should not have a sperm bank in the same facility/ building
- The centre should also include an operation theater
- There needs to be a separate room for embryo transfer
- The sterile zone should be fully air conditioned and should be accessed only in sterile garments and sterile footwear
- The infertility clinic should have access to all procedures, which are used to diagnose infertility. This could either be done in-house or could be outsourced.
- All labs must have standard operating procedures which are adhered to
- The clinic needs to definitely have 100% power backup