Originally published January 8 2006
Reproduction expert attempts to revolutionize egg donation industry
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Dr. Sanford Rosenberg, in an attempt to lower the costs of in vitro fertilization, has pioneered an international program that exports sperm to Romania and brings it back in the form of a frozen human embryo, but he has found the process snags because of red tape and many outspoken critics who believe the practice is bad for America.
Frozen embryos must be placed in a cryo-container and cannot go through an X-ray or be inspected -- a tall order in the days following the terrorist attacks.
Given the lengths he's gone to get proper clearance for his program, Rosenberg bristles at critics who worry programs like his could open the door to egg-donor abuse.
Demand for human eggs for reproduction and scientific research is booming, creating a global marketplace for the seeds of life -- and hand-wringing among ethicists concerned over potential abuse.
Just last week, a top stem-cell scientist in South Korea resigned from his post after admitting he lied about the source of eggs used in lab experiments.
He has won acclaim for producing the world's first cloned cow and dog, and for achieving several milestones in embryonic stem-cell research.
Stem-cell research and Rosenberg's IVF program are a world apart.
But both, in their separate ways, are creating economic incentives for women to sell their eggs -- a trend that some fear will push poor women in disadvantaged countries to become egg factories, taking drugs to stimulate ovulation and placing their health at risk.
Driving part of the demand for eggs is the growing number of women over 40 now choosing to pursue pregnancies.
That's because aging eggs are not conducive to pregnancy, and paying a young woman for her eggs may be the only path to success.
The average cost of a single IVF procedure is $12,500, and many insurers provide zero or minimal coverage.
Throw in compensation for the egg donor -- $5,000-plus in some parts of the country -- and the costs of an egg-donation agency, and a patient can be out $30,000 or more.
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