March Hot Topic: artificial sperm

Excerpted from one of our favorite publications, the U.K.-based BioNews:

written by Anna Smajdor, Lecturer in Medical Ethics at the University of East Anglia

An article published recently in the New Scientist alerted readers to ongoing developments in the creation of 'female' sperm and 'male' eggs (1). If -- and it is a big if -- this technological breakthrough ever comes about, it is suggested that such artificial gametes could offer the possibility of genetic reproduction to people in same sex relationships.

In fact artificial gametes offer huge breadth of scope for people to have genetically related offspring regardless of age, gender, relationship status or sexuality.

Women could use the technique to produce eggs even after having gone though menopause. Individuals who cannot find reproductive partners could even use artificial gamete technology to create complementary gametes from their own bodies to fertilize their 'natural' sperm or eggs.

This makes for some difficult regulatory decisions. How can we determine who should have access to artificial gametes?

The New Scientist article quotes MP Evan Harris, who suggests that the provision of artificial gametes to same sex couples is likely to remain illegal in the UK. Instead, they would be made available only in cases of authentic infertility -- something which would be far more acceptable to parliament, and perhaps also to the general public.
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The underlying assumption here is that some people have a genuine medical need for artificial gametes, while others do not. But is there really a clear clinical rationale for providing treatment to those who are infertile, while excluding those who are homosexual? Already, fertility treatments are routinely sought by -- and provided for -- individuals who have no specific clinical problem with conceiving.
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The belief that there are simple medical or biological answers to how technology should be used pre-empts the possibility of reaching an openly-negotiated solution to these ethical and social questions.
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References:
1. Aldhous P. Are male eggs and female sperm on the horizon? New Scientist. 2nd February 2008. Available at
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/sex/mg19726414.000-are-male-eggs-and-fem
ale-sperm-on-the-horizon.html

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