Date: 2024-12-05
Place: Conference center Lunden, Drottninggatan 4, Stockholm. Hybrid-meeting.
Registration: In-person participation is by invitation only, but online participation is open to all. For more information, contact smer@góv.se
Program: A detailed program will be published shortly.
We invite you to join us for a day dedicated to exploring current and future reproductive technologies with leading Swedish and international researchers.
It has been 13 years since the Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics (Smer) last issued an opinion on various methods of assisted reproduction. Since then, the field has seen significant advancement, in terms of scientific progress as well as in legislation.
Intensive research is being done to develop technologies to improve the chances of having children for those facing infertility. In recent years, uterine transplants have emerged as a viable option in several parts of the world. Experiments are also underway to extract gametes from tissue or pluripotent cells (such as skin cells) using in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) technology. Additionally, artificial wombs are being developed that can support full or partial foetal development.
Reproductive technology has also grown into a global industry, with fertility tourism now a rising trend. Couples and single people can now access methods abroad that are either unavailable or not permitted in Sweden. Through the Internet, they can select donors for their future children from assisted reproduction clinics and egg and sperm banks. Furthermore, more people are opting to freeze their eggs at a young age to increase their chances of having children later in life. Surrogacy and the selection of embryos based on traits like gender are permitted in some countries.
In Sweden, the conversation around these issues has evolved from the cautious stance of the 1990s to a more open approach. The legislation has changed accordingly. Since 2016, single women have had access to assisted reproduction, and in 2019 the requirement for a genetic link between parent and child was removed, permitting double donations (the simultaneous donation of both eggs and sperm) and the donation of fertilised eggs. Since then, private IVF clinics have also been allowed to offer egg and sperm donation as part of IVF treatment.
This rapid progress raises many ethical questions and dilemmas. What are the key medical, psychological, legal, and societal consequences of today’s and tomorrow’s reproductive technologies, in Sweden and abroad? How far should we go in developing these methods? What is the significance of social and biological parenthood, and what about a child’s right to know their genetic origins? How many children should a single donor be allowed to produce? How will society and family dynamics be impacted by these technologies and their associated legal frameworks? What are the most urgent issues to address right now in Sweden, the Nordic region, and the EU?
At SMER’s Ethics Day 2024, we will discuss the ethical implications of current and future reproductive technologies with leading researchers and experts from Sweden and abroad. We look forward to your participation!
Please note: At least parts, if not all, of the day’s talks and discussions will be conducted in English.