Leading Parliamentary medical voice supports ruling over frozen embryo fight

3.53.43pm GMT Tue 10th Apr 2007

Commenting on the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) final judgement today that Natallie Evans cannot use frozen embryos created with her former partner to have a baby, Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat member of the Science & Technology Select Committee that conducted an enquiry into the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act which provides for a paternal veto on the use of embryos, welcomed it saying:

"While everyone must be sympathetic to Ms Evans' position, her ex-partner Mr Johnson has rights and interests here as would the woman if the position was reversed, as it might be in other cases."

"Parliament was very clear when it specified that the consent of both parties was needed for extended storage and use of embryos stored outside the womb."

"None of the reviews of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Act, including the one by the Science and Technology Committee two years ago, has recommended any change in the law and I do not expect the law to change when the 1990 HFE Act is updated shortly as the Government plans to do, when it publishes a draft bill next month."

Dr Harris is an elected member of the BMA Medical Ethics Committee and has a particular interest in medical law and ethics.

"The ability to freeze unfertilised eggs may give more options in the future for women undergoing ovarectomy, as Ms Evans did, and such patients should also be counselled about the option of having some eggs fertilised by donor sperm prior to embryo freezing"