Symposium Abstract

The 2004 symposium, "Creating Life? Examining the Legal, Ethical and Medical Issues of Assisted Reproductive Technologies," dealt with the regulation of assisted reproductive technologies and genetic diagnosis for trait selection, encompassing multiple religious perspectives and accessibility issues.

The symposium included religious and ethical perspectives related to artificial reproductive technologies. For example, one panelist compared ART technology and its compatibility/incompatibility with Jewish law, particularly with regard to the ethical implications. Also addressed were market-based perspectives on building ethical understandings in fertility services, a call for ethics committees for ART, and issues of equity related to ART.

The symposium also included topics affecting persons involved in ART. Discussions ranged from who donates the gametes and how the gametes are selected, to the sexual orientation of those donating and receiving the donation.

Finally, as part of the symposium, University of Iowa College of Law Professor Sheldon Kurtz presented model legislation for ART rules and regulations. After his presentation, panelists and audience members offered their praise and critique of the model legislation.

Symposium Articles

Michele Goodwin, "Assisted Reproductive Technology and the Double Bind: The Illusory Choice of Motherhood"

Sara Cotton et al., "Model Assisted Reproductive Technology Act"

Miryam Z. Wahrman, Ph.D., "Fruit of the Womb: Artificial Reproductive Technologies & Jewish Law"

Judith F. Daar, "ART and the Search for Perfectionism: On Selecting Gender, Genes & Gametes"

Mary Crossley, "Dimensions of Equality in Regulating Assisted Reproductive Technologies"

Marcia C. Inhorn, Ph.D., MPH, "Fatwas and ARTs: IVF and Gamete Donation in Sunni v. Shi'a Islam"

Elizabeth S. Ginsburg, M.D., "The Implementation of an Assisted Reproductive Technogolies Ethics Committee (ARTEC)"

Leslie Bender, "'To Err is Human' ART Mix-ups: A Labor-Based, Relational Proposal"

June Carbone & Paige Gottheim, "Markets Subsidies, Regulation, and Trust: Building Ethical Understandings into the Market for Fertility Services"

Michael J. Malinowski, "A Law-Policy Proposal to Know Where Babies Come From During the Reproductive Revolution"

Julie Shapiro, "A Lesbian Centered Critique of 'Genetic Parenthood'"

Leland Traiman, "Guidelines but No Guidance: GaySpermBank.com vs. FDA"

Cheryl Erwin, "Utopian Dreams and Harsh Realities: Who Is in Control of Assisted Reproductive Technologies in a High-Tech World?"