Question : ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY CLINICS

(a) the number of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics identified and enrolled under the National Registry of ART clinics ;

(b) whether the Government has received any complaints regarding alleged irregularities and malpractices prevalent in ART clinics in the country;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the number of such cases reported during each of the last three years and the current year;

(d) the mechanism put in place by the Government to regulate the functioning of ART clinics and to check malpractices therein; and

(e) whether the Government proposes to bring the Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill for the purpose, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 192 FOR 05TH DECEMBER, 2014

(a): Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that 1253 Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics and 138 ART Banks have been identified by the National Registry of ART Clinics and Banks in India till 30th November, 2014. After satisfactorily fulfilling provisions of the draft ART regulation bill with reference to minimum physical infrastructure facilities, trained manpower and ART procedures being followed at the ART clinics, 269 ART clinics have been enrolled under the National Registry of ART Clinics till 30th November, 2014. The State and City-wise distribution of all the identified and enrolled ART clinics and banks in India is given as Annexure-I.

(b)&(c): Yes, ICMR has received complaints against number of ART Clinics in the country. A list of complaints received along with nature of complaints is enclosed as Annexure-II.

(d):The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has developed the National Guidelines for Accreditation, Supervision and Regulation of ART Clinics in India, which were accepted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW), Govt. of India in 2005.

A draft ART (Regulation) Bill has been drafted to create three Institutions in the country namely: (i) National Advisory Board under Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India (ii) National Registry of ART Clinics and Banks in India under Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India (iii) State Advisory Boards: under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of respective State Governments. Since the National Registry of ART Clinics and Banks in India is going to act as a Central Database of all the ART clinics and banks in the country and has to play a significant role in assisting both National Advisory Board and State Advisory Boards in regulating the functioning of ART clinics and banks with special reference to accreditation and supervision of their activities and to check malpractices therein, therefore, as a pro-active step Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Health Research Govt. of India directed ICMR to establish the National Registry of ART Clinics and Banks in India at ICMR.

(e): Yes, the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, have finalized the draft Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill.