Dutch Legislation

Embryo Act

in force

Handling of gametes and embryos

Family law · Embryowet · BWBR0013797 · Articles: 36

1 Article 1

In this Act, the following definitions shall apply:

2 Article 2

The board of an institution where embryos are created outside the human body or where other acts involving embryos are performed shall, after…

3 Article 3

Scientific research with embryos, including scientific research with gametes whereby embryos are created, shall be conducted in accordance with a…

3a Article 3a

The committee referred to in Article 16 of the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act shall send to the central committee a copy of every…

4 Article 4

The central committee shall report annually to Our Minister on the application of this Act, whereby particular attention shall be paid to new…

5 Article 5

Adults who are capable of a reasonable assessment of their interests in this matter may, other than for the purpose of their own medical use and…

6 Article 6

The information shall be provided in such a manner that it is reasonably certain that the person concerned has understood the content thereof, and in…

7 Article 7

The gametes shall in any event be destroyed if they are not made available for other purposes, after the expiry of the period for which they were…

8 Article 8

Adults who are capable of a reasonable assessment of their interests in this matter may make embryos, which have been created outside the body for…

9a Article 9a

Gametes or embryos that are available for one's own medical use or that have been made available pursuant to this Act, but will no longer be used for…

10 Article 10

The central committee shall only issue a positive opinion on a research protocol concerning scientific research with embryos by which no pregnancy is…

12 Article 12

It is prohibited to conduct scientific research with embryos unless these embryos or the gametes from which they are created have been made available…

13 Article 13

The person who conducts the scientific research shall ensure compliance with Article 3.

14 Article 14

The person who carries out the scientific research shall ensure that the privacy of those from whom the gametes originate and of those who have made…

15 Article 15

The person conducting the scientific research shall ensure that, before the commencement of the execution of the research, those whose professional…

16 Article 16

The central committee shall only issue a positive opinion on a research protocol concerning scientific research with embryos outside the human body…

17 Article 17

It is prohibited to conduct scientific research as referred to in Article 16 without the written consent of the woman and her spouse (echtgenoot)…

18 Article 18

Articles 13, 14 and 15 shall apply mutatis mutandis to scientific research as referred to in this paragraph.

19 Article 19

The central committee or the committee referred to in Article 16 of the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act shall only issue a positive…

20 Article 20

Scientific research with a fetus, including scientific research with pregnancy-supporting tissues, is permitted if it can contribute to the…

21 Article 21

It is prohibited to conduct scientific research with a fetus, including scientific research with pregnancy-supporting tissues, without the written…

22 Article 22

If the scientific research takes a course that is significantly more unfavourable for the pregnant woman or the fetus than provided for in the…

23 Article 23

Articles 13, 14 and 15 apply mutatis mutandis to scientific research with foetuses.

24 Article 24

It is prohibited:

25 Article 25

It is prohibited:

26 Article 26

It is prohibited to perform acts with gametes or embryos with the purpose of being able to choose the sex of a future child.

27 Article 27

It is prohibited to request, for the provision to others of gametes and embryos made available pursuant to Articles 5, 8 and 9 of this Act, a…

28 Article 28

A person who, whether or not intentionally, acts in violation of a prohibition contained in Articles 12, 17, paragraph 1, 21, paragraph 1, 24, 25, 26…

29 Article 29

The officials of the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (Inspectie gezondheidszorg en jeugd) are charged with the supervision of compliance with the…

30 Article 30 repealed
32 Article 32

Our Minister shall send a report to the States General every five years on the effectiveness and the effects of this law in practice.

33 Article 33

This Act shall enter into force on a date to be determined by Royal Decree, which date may be determined differently for the various articles or…

34 Article 34

This Act shall be cited as: Embryo Act (Embryowet).