ISSUES OF REPRODUCTIVE TOURISM: ETHICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS

Аннотация

Reproductive tourism or "cross-border reproductive assistance" is a phenomenon in which people across international borders to gain access to reproductive technologies. One of the fastest growing categories of cross-border reproductive assistance is international surrogacy, where infertile clients travel the world to use the paid services of foreign surrogates. It is a multi-billion dollar global industry that faces unique legal, ethical and risk management challenges. All parties to a transaction face certain risk. The risk for surrogate mothers is that they agree because of their economic vulnerability and the possibility of being exploited, even if at an unfair price. At the same time, the need to travel for reproductive services is determined by legal restrictions that force people to leave their home countries, and the availability of services that attract patients to foreign countries to access these services. In all types of medical tourism, the goal is usually cost-effectiveness and affordability, referring to the cost of services abroad, as well as the ability to bypass waiting lists for services or domestic legal barriers to receiving services. However, the reasons for cross-border support can be complex and depend on the nature of the service requested.