Odisha Govt Sets Up Board To Regulate Surrogacy Clinics, Banks

Bhubaneswar: With an aim to cut down the long wait to complete legal formalities by couples to have a child through surrogacy, the Odisha government has set up a board to regulate surrogacy services.

After the Central government notified the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021 and Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act 2021, the Odisha government recently set up the State Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board, TNIE reported.

The Acts aim at regulating in vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinics and prohibit commercial surrogacy.

“The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021 prohibits commercial surrogacy. However, it allows altruistic surrogacy, which involves no monetary compensation to the surrogate mother other than the medical expenses and insurance coverage during the pregnancy,” Director (Family Welfare) Dr Bijay Panigrahi told TNIE.

The ART Act will regulate and supervise ART clinics and banks.

“After the constitution of the board, clinics will be regulated and unscrupulous activities can be prevented,” he added.