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Assisted reproduction research released

8 September 2004

Three research papers exploring the rights of children born from assisted reproduction methods such as IVF and sperm donations were released by the Victorian Law Reform Commission today.

The VLRC commissioned the papers to provide information for its current review of assisted reproduction and adoption laws.

“These papers provide information which helps us fill the gaps in current knowledge,” VLRC chairperson Professor Marcia Neave said.

“Dr Ruth McNair’s paper analyses research done to date about the social, health and developmental outcomes for children born from assisted reproduction and into differing family structures.

“John Tobin’s paper uses an international agreement, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to help us answer questions such as, does a child have the right to information which identifies their biological parents?”

“And Professor John Seymour and Sonia Magri’s paper is a very useful snapshot of how other states and countries handle the issues we are grappling with in our review.

“We received close to 200 submissions in response to our consultation paper for this review, so the issues involved are obviously of interest to a great many Victorians.

“Our researchers will now begin to write an Interim Report containing draft recommendations on changes to the law which we plan to have tabled in parliament in next year’s autumn session,” Professor Neave said.

For more information see the ART & adoption research paper summaries.