The Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday passed the outline of a government-initiated bill regulating assisted reproductive technology (ART) services in the city.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U introduced the outline of the bill during a plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle yesterday.
After yesterday’s passage of its outline, the bill will be passed to one of the legislature’s standing committees for article-by-article review, after which it will be resubmitted to another plenary session for its second and final debate and article-by-article vote.
Ao Ieong noted that Macau currently does not have a specific law regulating ART services, because of which, she said, the bill was needed with the aim of allowing childless couples to use ART services subject to a string of strict rules. In addition, the bill also covers regulated ART services for the treatment of serious hereditary diseases.
Ao Ieong underlined that the bill proposes that assisted reproductive technology adopted in Macau will only be a supplementary method of procreation, rather than an alternative method of procreation.
Ao Ieong pointed out that neighbouring regions, such as the mainland, Hong Kong and Singapore, have their own specific legislation to regulate assisted reproductive technology.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U addresses yesterday’s plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle.
– Photo courtesy of TDM
