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From IVF to Immortality

From IVF to Immortality Controversy in the Era of Reproductive Technology

Author: Ruth Deech; Anna Smajdor
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780199219780
Published In: October 2007
Format: Hardback , 248 pages
Jurisdiction: U.K. ? Disclaimer:
Countri(es) stated herein are used as reference only

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Contents
Author

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- The lead author, Baroness Ruth Deech, is hugely high profile in this area, being the former Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 1994 - 2002
- Simple, clear descriptions of scientific techniques, thoughtfully and provocatively presented
- Discussion of highly prominent, topical controversial cases, for example Diane Blood
- Cross-disciplinary analysis of complex bioethical and social problems, incorporating legal, philosophical, ethical, and regulatory aspects
This is a book for anyone who has ever paused to wonder: Will cloning ever be legal? Why it is that 'saviour siblings' and sex selection provoke such strong reactions? Will there ever be such a thing as an artificial womb?

Assisted reproductive technologies are unique in their capacity to challenge our assumptions and elicit passionate responses. Looking at the moral, philosophical, and legal issues surrounding cases of surrogacy, single or same-sex parenthood, retrieval of sperm from dead or dying patients, and the insemination of post-menopausal women, this book questions whether these rapidly-developing technologies are refashioning the nature of the family.

The UK has played a unique role in the development and regulation of reproductive technologies, and has been at the forefront of controversy over 'saviour siblings', designer babies, reproductive cloning, and embryo research. This book provides a clear and simple account of the techniques involved in assisted reproduction and embryo research, and discusses the legal and ethical implications of some of these technologies, illustrated by compelling descriptions of real-life cases. The book also addresses the ways in which reproductive technologies are regulated, critically examining the role of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and comparing the UK's approach with that of other countries. Finally, it contemplates the possibility that some of our most deeply-held assumptions about human nature may be called into question by further developments in stem cell research and fertility treatments.

Readership: Academic and practicing lawyers in the fields of medical ethics and biotechnology; stem cell scientists and professionals involved in fertility treatment eg: doctors, nurses, counsellors, etc; policy-makers; journalists; NGO staff; and interested members of the public.
1: Reproductive Technologies and the Birth of the HFEA
2: Ethics, Embryos, and Infertility
3: Saviour Siblings, Designer Babies, and Sex Selection
4: Fertility is a Feminist Issue
5: Private Lives and Public Policy: The Story of Diane Blood
6: Human Rights and Reproduction
7: Deconstructing the Family: The Welfare of the Child Clause
8: Embryonic Stem Cells and Therapeutic Cloning
Ruth Deech, Former Chair, Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority and Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, and Anna Smajdor, Researcher in Bioethics, Imperial College London