The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank with anti-LGBTQ+ views, aims to have a significant role in the upcoming GOP presidential administration. They have recently published a preliminary set of policy suggestions for Congress regarding the regulation of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The eight suggestions were part of a document released on March 19. blog post This document was written by Senior Research Associate Emma Waters, who commended a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that gives embryos created through IVF the same legal rights as children. Waters also highlighted that this ruling allows patients to seek legal action if an embryo is mishandled or destroyed.
She expressed her concerns about the ethical issues surrounding IVF in the U.S., stating that too many embryos are created in each cycle and criticizing the widely used pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) as a form of eugenics.
Many LGBTQ+ individuals depend on IVF to start their families. It is the most commonly used assisted reproduction method. The most widespread way of assisted reproduction.
Based on the belief that embryos are equivalent to children, Waters's first recommendation to Congress is to establish a standard of care in IVF clinics to prevent the careless destruction of human embryos. She also criticized the Alabama legislature for passing a law that shields IVF providers from legal liability, without addressing the fundamental issue of whether frozen embryos should be considered children under Alabama law. enacting a law as a response to the Supreme Court ruling. This law protects IVF providers from civil and criminal liability but does not address the core issue of whether frozen embryos should be considered children under Alabama law.
Multiple embryos are created for IVF as it is necessary to ensure a successful pregnancy. However, not all embryos survive the IVF process, have high reproductive potential, or manage to implant in the uterus. The creation of multiple embryos is vital for the success of IVF in producing a baby.
Waters argued that the law fails to safeguard the interests of the parents or the embryos and, in her policy suggestion, stated that the law should recognize the harm caused and allow parents to receive appropriate compensation under the wrongful death provision.
Other suggestions include limiting the number of embryos created per IVF cycle, permitting the transfer of only one embryo at a time to an intended parent, prohibiting anonymous egg and sperm donations, banning PGT testing, mandating full informed consent from prospective parents, and allocating more funds for infertility research until IVF becomes a last resort.
Media Matters characterized these proposals as seemingly harmless but intended to increase the obstacles for accessing IVF procedures. The progressive media watchdog group likened these suggestions to TRAP Laws, which impose stringent regulatory restrictions on abortion clinics to make their operation as difficult as possible.
The Heritage Foundation is behind Project 2025, an extensive collection of far-right policy recommendations for the next GOP administration.
The plan includes reintroducing several policies from the Trump era and appointing Trump loyalists to the administration. The 900-page policy book reportedly includes a recommendation to eliminate the terms “reproductive health,” “abortion,” and “reproductive rights” from all government laws, regulations, policies, rules, and grants.
Project 2025 has many recommendations for taking away LGBTQ+ rights, particularly trans rights. These suggestions involve eliminating all terms related to gender and sexual identity from federal laws, regulations, contracts, grants, and rules. They also call for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to halt all research on gender identity unless it's about pressuring kids to adhere to their assigned sex at birth. Additionally, it labels gender-affirming care as child abuse and advocates for prohibiting trans individuals from serving in the military.
