Law on medically assisted procreation LPMA

What is it all about?

Article 119 of the federal constitution declares to protect the human being against eventual misuse of techniques for genetic procreation.  It gives mandate to the Confederation to edict prescriptions regarding the use of genetic human patrimony.  The federal law on medically assisted procreation pretends to ensure the protection of human dignity, personality family; it proscribes what is considered as abusive applications of biotechnology and genetic genius.

It pronounces the child’s well-being as fundamental principal.  It prohibits embryo conservation, egg donation (though sperm donation is accepted) as well as genetic analysis of embryos conceived for in vitro (though it allows the child’s genetic analysis through amniocentesis on the 16th week of pregnancy and, in case of anomaly, eventual pregnancy interruption).  Sperm donor information have to be kept with the federal office and the child has to have access.

Preliminary stages:

• June 2, 1995, the DFJP sends on consolatory basis the pre-project related to federal law concerning medically assisted procreation to a freshly created national ethical commission (law on human medicine) (press communication).

June 26, 1996, the federal council adopts the project support of the federal law, which is to regulate the medically assisted procreation.  The project constitutes an indirect counter-project which is in straight opposition to the popular initiative regarding procreation respecting human dignity (Press Communications ).

• Parliamentary deliberations (96.058)
• Public voting of March 12, 2000
• The Councill declares January 1st, 2001 the effective date for the law on medically assisted procreation and execution of its dispositions