Human egg to be raffled in IVF promotion - and winner can pick what race she wants | Mail Online

A human egg is to be raffled in London to promote IVF services - and the winner will be able to choose which donor to use by racial 'profile'.
The controversial move, which sidesteps UK laws because the clinic running the promotion is based abroad, has been condemned by ethical campaigners.
The raffle winner will be given £13,000 of free treatment in the U.S. by the Genetics and IVF Institute (GIVF), which is running the raffle in Britain to highlight a commercial alliance with the Bridge Centre fertility clinic in London.
Eggs for the raffle come from American university students or graduates - rigorously screened to exclude overweight women and smokers - who may make up to $10,000 (£6,600) for a single donation.
By contrast, UK law prohibits donors from receiving more than £250, to cover expenses.
In the Anglo-American venture, raffle entrants choose the anonymous donor on the basis of profiles including explanations of their motives for donating, childhood photographs, and recordings.
The Bridge Centre and GIVF launched the joint venture late last year, hoping to attract the custom of women in their forties and fifties with little chance of conceiving using their own eggs.
A leading campaigner warned last night whatever they may say about their motivation, the donors were likely to be acting from sheer financial need.
'These women selling their eggs are taking a huge risk with their health and future fertility simply because they need the money,' said Josephine Quintavalle of Comment on Reproductive Ethics.
Donating eggs requires the use of potentially dangerous drugs to stimulate ovarian over-production, and is a long and painful process.
'In no other branch of medicine would the ruthless exploitation of the vulnerable be tolerated,' Ms Quintavalle told the Sunday Times.
The lure of $10,000 means many women are eager to become IVF donors in the U.S. GIVF says it has 200 on its books.
The Bridge Centre last night laid the decision to run the raffle firmly at the door of its American partner.
'They are much more market-driven than we are, and they do have some rather more creative techniques,' senior Bridge Centre consultant told the newspaper.

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