Section 24 in THE ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY (REGULATION) ACT, 2021
24. Duties of assisted reproductive technology clinics using human gametes and embryos. —
While using human gametes and embryos, the duties to be performed by the clinics and banks shall be as under:—(a)the clinics shall retrieve oocytes in such manner as may be specified by regulations;(b)not more than three oocytes or embryos may be placed in the uterus of a woman during the treatment cycle in such manner as may be specified by regulations;(c)a woman shall not be treated with gametes or embryos derived from more than one man or woman during any one treatment cycle;(d)a clinic shall never mix semen from two individuals for the procedures specified under this Act;(e)the embryos shall not be split and used for twinning to increase the number of available embryos;(f)the collection of gametes posthumously shall be done only if prior consent of the commissioning couple is available in such manner as may be prescribed;(g)the clinic shall not use ovum that are derived from a foetus, in any process of in-vitro fertilisation; and(h)such other duties as may be prescribed.Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, the expression—(i)“fertilisation” means the penetration of the ovum by the spermatozoon and fusion of genetic materials resulting in the development of a zygote; and(ii)“foetus” means a human organism during the period of its development beginning on the fifty-seventh day following fertilisation and ending at birth or abortion.Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis. —(1) The Pre-implantation Genetic testing shall be used to screen the human embryo for known, pre-existing, heritable or genetic diseases only.(2)The donation of an embryo after Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis to an approved research laboratory for research purposes shall be done only—(a)with the approval of the commissioning couple or woman; and(b)when the embryo suffers from pre-existing, heritable, life-threatening or genetic diseases.(3)The National Board may lay down such other conditions as it deems fit in the interests of the Pre-implantation Genetic testing.Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, the expression—(i)“Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis” means the genetic diagnosis when one or both genetic parents has a known genetic abnormality and testing is performed on an embryo to determine if it also carries a genetic abnormality; and(ii)“Pre-implantation Genetic testing” means a technique used to identify genetic defects in embryos created through in-vitro fertilisation before pregnancy.
