Press release 02/2004
Berlin, 16 February 2004

National Ethics Council to hold an expert hearing on polar body diagnosis

The National Ethics Council will be holding an expert hearing on polar body diagnosis in Berlin on 19 February 2004 as a part of its public plenary meeting.

Polar body diagnosis is a method of genetic diagnosis used in in vitro fertilization. Unlike preimplantation genetic diagnosis, polar body diagnosis is permitted under the German Embryo Protection Law because the examination is conducted on the oocyte at what is known as the pronuclear stage - that is, before an embryo within the meaning of the Law has come into being.

The papers to be presented and the ensuing discussion will focus on the conditions and potential of polar body diagnosis and on the experience gained so far with the use of this method.

The invited experts are:

Prof. Dr med. Klaus Diedrich, Head of the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Clinic, Universitätsklinikum Lübeck [Lübeck University Hospital];

Dr med. Ute Hehr, Gynaecological Endocrinology, Reproductive Medicine and Human Genetics Centre, Regensburg;

Prof. Dr med. Eberhard Schwinger, Head of the Human Genetics Institute, Universitätsklinikum Lübeck [Lübeck University Hospital];

Dr Michael Thaele, Chair, Bundesverband Reproduktionsmedizinischer Zentren [Federal Association of Reproductive Medicine Centres], Saarbrücken;

Prof. Dr med. Hans H. van der Ven, Head of the Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Centre, Universitätsklinikum Bonn [Bonn University Hospital]; and

Dr Volker Wetzel, AG für Fortpflanzungsmedizin [Working Group on Reproductive Medicine], Karlsruhe IVF Programme.

The detailed programme can be accessed at: http://www.ethikrat.org/veranstaltungen/anhoerungen/ah_polkoerperdiagnostik.html.
Only in German.

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