The futility of fertility research? Barriers to embryo research in New Zealand

AIMS: Successive New Zealand Health Ministers have failed to approve guidelines for research using viable human embryos, which effectively places a blanket ban on all research that "uses" viable human embryos in this country. This includes research that aims to improve currently available reproductive technologies, illustrated by a failed application to ministerial ethics committees for a clinical research project investigating the efficacy of in vitro fertilisation procedures. However, no data currently exists describing the degree to which these restrictions are inhibiting reproductive research in this country. METHODS: We have conducted a qualitative survey of New Zealand researchers from 20 major academic, clinical and governmental institutes to qualify the impact these restrictions are having on New Zealand's research outputs. RESULTS: The results suggest dissatisfaction with the current guidelines, and the lack of guidance from the Ministry of Health and associated ethics committees regarding what constitutes embryo research and therefore what research can be performed. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of current guidelines regarding the use of embryos for research is restricting improvements to established reproductive technologies, and any future research. We suggest that the Minister of Health instructs ministerial advisory and ethics committees to review the current guidelines and to define the term "use of embryos".