Human Egg Donation

Persuasive Essay # 104376

Biology > Bioethics
Ethics

Human Egg Donation

Examines the ethics of compensation for human egg donation.

1,465 words () | 14 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the combination of deep-seated emotions, cutting-edge technology and huge amounts of money has made the supposedly intimate act of creating a child into a serious multi-national industry. The author of the paper points out that the growth of "the baby business" raises serious ethical concerns and then relates arguments for and against the practice of compensation. The author also points out that the obvious fear is that women will be exploited for their reproductive potential. The paper urges the creation of more federal regulations to adjust the various competing interests that weigh on this procedure.

From the Paper:

"Critics charge that the payment of large sums of money amount of "commodification" of egg donation. This amounts to a label more than a sound objection. The market puts a price on virtually everything, and merely adding a financial element does not necessarily make something unethical. Perhaps the greatest need in this field is not control over payments but regulations to ensure that anyone agreeing to undergo the procedure is fully informed of the nature, risks, and potential complication involved, and that reproductive clinics accept responsibility if complications develop."

Sample of Sources Used:

Benatar, D., The unbearable lightness of bringing into being. J. Applied Philosophy 16(2):173-180 (1999).
Brozan, N. Babies from donated eggs: growing use stirs questions. New York Times, Sect. A, p. 1 (Jan. 18, 1988).
Bush, George, 2006 State of the Union Address. U.S. Department of State. 31 Jan. 2006; 4 June 2007, <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/wh/rem/60153.htm>.
Callahan, D., Bioethics and fatherhood. Utah Law Rev. 3: 735-746 (1992).
Dekovsky, Steven, and Ferris, Steven, Alzheimer's disease and Stem Cell Research. National Public Radio: Talk of the Nation. 2 July 2004, 4 June 2007, < http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3091003>