Austria

Austria Information Region Europe Population 8316487 GDP (millions USD) 373,943 National Policies Eggs for assisted reproduction PROHIBITED Eggs for research PROHIBITED Inheritable genetic modification PROHIBITED Preimplantation genetic diagnosis PROHIBITED Reproductive cloning PROHIBITED Research cloning PROHIBITED Sex selection PROHIBITED Surrogacy PROHIBITED International Agreements 1997 COE Biomedicine Convention not signed 1998 COE Cloning Convention not signed 2005 UN Cloning Vote YES 2005 UNESCO Sports Doping Convention RATIFIED 2007 Treaty of Lisbon RATIFIED

Key laws and policies

• The Act on Reproductive Medicine (Fortpflanzungsmedizingesetz, June 4, 1992) http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/BgblPdf/1992_275_0/1992_275_0.pdf
• The Marriage Law and the Rules of Jurisdiction (1993)

Prohibited practices

Prohibited practices include:

• Reproductive cloning
• Research cloning
• Inheritable genetic modification (implicitly)
• Surrogate motherhood
• Sex selection
• Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (implicitly)
• Embryonic stem cell research
• Providing gametes for research or another's reproduction

The 2004 Bioethics Commission Report on preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) clarifies the "unanimous opinion" that the 1992 Act effectively bans PGD with this language: "Viable cells must not be used for any other purpose than for medicine supported reproduction. They may be examined and treated only to the extent as required according to the state of the art of scientific medicine and experience to induce a pregnancy. The same thing applies to sperm or egg cells to be used for medicine supported reproductions."

Permitted and regulated practices

• The law permits access to medically assisted reproductive procedures only by married or stable heterosexual couples.
• Only those couples where the male is sterile may have access.
• Any form of egg cell donation is prohibited.
• Sperm donation is prohibited for single women or lesbian couples