Lithuania

Lithuania Information Region Europe Population 3369600 GDP (millions USD) 38,345 National Policies Eggs for assisted reproduction PROHIBITED Eggs for research ? Inheritable genetic modification PROHIBITED Preimplantation genetic diagnosis PROHIBITED Reproductive cloning PROHIBITED Research cloning PROHIBITED Sex selection ? Surrogacy commercial prohibited International Agreements 1997 COE Biomedicine Convention RATIFIED 1998 COE Cloning Convention RATIFIED 2005 UN Cloning Vote no 2005 UNESCO Sports Doping Convention RATIFIED 2007 Treaty of Lisbon RATIFIED

Key laws and policies

• Law on Ethics of Biomedical Research No. VIII-1679 (May 11, 2000)

• Law on Donation and Transplantation of Human Tissues, Cells and Organs (no. I-1626), 1996, http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_l?p_id=314396

• Order No 248 of 24 May 1999 of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania

Foundational values

The Law on Ethics of Biomedical Research states that "biomedical research must be conducted according to the principle whereby the interests of the human being prevail over the interests of society and science."

Prohibited practices

The Law on Ethics of Biomedical Research prohibits:

• Human cloning
• "Invasive" research on human embryos

In addition, Lithuania's ratification of the Council of Europe's Convention on Biomedicine commits it to prohibitions on:

• PGD for social uses
• Research cloning
• Somatic genetic enhancement
• Inheritable genetic modification

Egg, Sperm, and Embryo Donation

Donation of gametes and embryos is not permitted (and if used, the donor of the gametes would be considered the legal parent).

Commercial Surrogacy

The Civil Code of Lithuania prohibits commercial arrangements related to the human body and recognizes an individual as a legal entity rather an object of arrangements.

Permitted and regulated practices

Assisted Reproduction

• Available only for married couples who must use their own gametes
• Both must consent and both must have "full civil active capacity"
• A woman must be an adult under the age of 45 years
• Both spouses must undergo a medical examination proving that pregnancy and childbirth will not pose any threat to the life and health of the woman and an unborn child.

Procedures available: IUI, GIFT, IVF, ICSI, ZIFT

Private surrogacy arrangements (non-commercial) may occur, but would be very limited. A court would have to hear reasons, and the issue would be closed. There are no available judgments on the issue.

Regulatory activities

The Law on Ethics of Biomedical Research states that "biomedical research in Lithuania may be performed only subject to an approval obtained from the Lithuanian Bioethics Committee or the Regional Biomedical Research Ethics Committee."

History

In Lithuania, there have been draft laws on assisted reproduction, (in 2002 and subsequently in 2003, 2004, and 2010). However, no agreement has been reached on the legal further regulation of ART or surrogacy.

External links

• Eugenijus Gefenas and Asta Cekanauskaite, National Regulations on Ethics and Research in Lithuania, European Commission, Brussels (2003).

• http://www.hcch.net/upload/wop/gap2014pd3_lt.pdf

• Francesco Paolo Busardò, et al. "The Evolution of Legislation in the Field of Medically Assisted Reproduction and Embryo Stem Cell Research in European Union Members." BioMed Research International, Volume 2014 (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/307160; http://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2014/307160/, (accessed 22 February 2015).