Rethinking 'Commercial' Surrogacy in Australia
(2014) Journal of Bioethical Inquiry
24 Pages Posted: 20 Mar 2015 Last revised: 27 Mar 2015
Date Written: March 19, 2015
Abstract
This article proposes reconsideration of laws prohibiting paid surrogacy in Australia in light of increasing transnational commercial surrogacy. The social science evidence base concerning domestic surrogacy in developed economies demonstrates that payment alone cannot be used to differentiate “good” surrogacy arrangements from “bad” ones. Compensated domestic surrogacy and the introduction of professional intermediaries and mechanisms such as advertising are proposed as a feasible harm-minimisation approach. I contend that Australia can learn from commercial surrogacy practices elsewhere, without replicating them.
Keywords: surrogacy, assisted reproduction, commercial surrogacy, ART regulation
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