Court upholds Italy’s law against embryo research

August 28, 2015

The European Court of Human Rights has upheld an Italian law against the donation of human embryos for scientific experimentation and research.

Adelina Parrillo, 61, wished to donate five embryos conceived with her deceased partner via in vitro fertilization. The Court ruled that “Italy was to be afforded a wide margin of appreciation in this case, which raised sensitive moral and ethical issues,” and that “the right invoked by Ms. Parrillo was not one of [her] core rights,” as “it did not concern a crucial aspect of her existence and identity.”

 

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Further information:

• Banning a woman from donating embryos obtained from in vitro fertilisation to scientific research was not contrary to respect for her private life (ECHR)
• Italy did not violate EC Human Rights bill, says court (AGI)