The Taiwan Society for Reproduc-tive Medicine (TSRM) suggested yesterday that the government make laws to regulate compensation for sperm donors, egg donors and surrogate mothers.
"Sperm donors should receive NT$9,000 compensation and egg donors NT$100,000. Surrogate mothers should receive compensation of NT$1.5 million," said chairman of the TSRM Chang Ming-yang (張明揚).
Currently the government bans any compensation for sperm and egg donors.
The TSRM has been conducting research on compensation for sperm and egg donors and surrogate mothers for the Department of Health's Bureau of Health Promotion.
According to the draft of the Artificial Insemination Law (人工生殖法) drawn up by the DOH, sperm and egg donors do not receive compensation.
However, Chang said donors should be compensated for their time and the stress they experience during the procedure.
Sperm donors should be aged between 20 and 60 and egg donors between 20 and 40, according to the draft, with all donors screened for hereditary and sexually transmitted diseases.
The draft also said that couples with a child born using sperm or egg donations are prohibited from queuing for further assistance.
"We suggest sperm donors claim NT$9,000 compensation because the treatment process takes a relatively brief amount of time. The compensation should include travel costs," Chang said.
Egg donors, on the other hand, commit themselves to a longer treatment process, Chang added.
The egg-retrieval procedure is done using intravenous sedation to prevent discomfort to the donor. A transvaginal ultrasound is used to help doctors guide a needle into the ovary.
"Egg donors run the risk of side effects caused by the retrieval process. That is why we suggest a higher compensation for them," Chang said.
The issue of surrogate mothers remains controversial, Chang said. "We suggest a NT$1.5 million compensation for them because this is the amount surrogate mothers receive in the US," he said.
There is no law regulating surrogate mothers, according to Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿), chief pharmacist at Taipei's Koo Foundation Sun Yat-sen Cancer Center.
"The issue is not whether it is legal or illegal to hire surrogate mothers," Chen said. "There is simply no law relating to this matter. But the Department of Health once banned surrogate mothers."
Former DOH Director-General Lee Ming-liang (
"According to his proposal, any doctors involved in surrogacy are in violation of the criminal code and will be fined NT$1 million," Chen said.
However, that draft was not sent to the legislature. Chen said the incumbent DOH Director-General Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲) tends to support the legitimization of surrogate mothers.
In Taiwan, surrogate mothers usually receive payment ranging from NT$500,000 to NT$1 million.
"You cannot imagine how many women want to serve as surrogate mothers," Chen said.
In response to the TSRM's suggestion, Twu said he will instruct related agencies to discuss how to draft regulations on surrogate mothers.
"The issues need to be considered. It's a serious matter," Twu said.
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