View source for South Africa

{{Country
|name=South Africa
|image_flag=South_Africa_Flag.jpg
|Region=Africa
|Population=43700000
|GDP=282,630
|Eggs for assisted reproduction=no policy
|Eggs for research=no policy
|Inheritable genetic modification=PROHIBITED
|Preimplantation genetic diagnosis=no policy
|Reproductive cloning=PROHIBITED
|Research cloning=permitted
|Sex selection=no policy
|Surrogacy=commercial prohibited
|European Union=
|Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development=
|Council of Europe=
|1997 COE Biomedicine Convention=n/a
|1998 COE Cloning Convention=n/a
|2005 UN Cloning Vote=abstained
|2005 UNESCO Sports Doping Convention=RATIFIED
|Treaty of Lisbon=n/a
|Introduction=
|Key laws and policies=* [http://www.acts.co.za/childrens-act-2005/index.html Children’s Act No. 38 of 2005 (Chapter 19)] 

* [http://www.enviroleg.co.za/acts/Human%20Tissue/Human%20Tissue%20Act.pdf Human Tissue Act] (s.39A inserted by s.26 of Act No. 51 of 1989) (1983)

* [https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/CityHealth/Documents/Legislation/Act%20-%20National%20Health%20Act%20-%2061%20of%202003.pdf National Health Act] (December 31, 2003)
|Foundational values='''Regarding Cloning'''

The South African government practices the precautionary principle by stating, "The risk attached to the use of the technique on humans carries the possibility of hormonal manipulation in the egg donor, multiple miscarriages in the birth mother, and severe developmental abnormalities in any resulting child. The potential harms outweigh the potential benefits, and until studies in animal systems reverse this circumstance, we recommend that the use of human nuclear transfer cloning to create a new life should be prohibited."<ref name="mrc">South African Medical Research Council, "[http://www.kznhealth.gov.za/research/ethics2.pdf  Guidelines on Ethics for Medical Research: Reproductive Biology and Genetic Research.]"</ref>


'''Stem Cell Research'''

The South African Medical Research Council recommends that South Africa draw from the recommendations of the United States National Bioethics Advisory Committee to regulate the donation of human embryos for stem cell research.<ref name="samrc">South African Medical Research Council, "[http://www.kznhealth.gov.za/research/ethics2.pdf  Guidelines on Ethics for Medical Research: Reproductive Biology and Genetic Research.]"</ref>
|Prohibited practices='''Embryo Research and Cloning'''

The following practices are prohibited by the National Health Act:
* Inheritable genetic modification
* Reproductive cloning


'''Commercial Surrogacy'''

* Commercial surrogacy is prohibited (Children's Act, Chapter 19, 301).
|Permitted and regulated practices='''Sex Selection'''

South Africa does not regulate preimplantation genetic diagnosis explicitly by legislation or professional guidelines. However, the Medical Research Council of South Africa states that selecting sex is unethical if done for non-medical purposes. 


'''Research Cloning'''

The National Health Act permits research cloning. 


'''Altruistic Surrogacy'''

* Altruistic surrogacy is permitted, with reimbursement of expenses related to pregnancy and birth; loss of wages; and health insurance.

*Conditions for the agreement to be valid:
**The agreement is in writing and is signed by all the parties thereto.
**The agreement is entered into in the Republic.
**At least one of the commissioning parents, or where the commissioning parent is a single person, that person, is at the time of entering into the agreement domiciled in the Republic.
**The surrogate mother and her husband or partner, if any, are at the time of entering into the agreement domiciled in the Republic.
**The agreement is confirmed by the High Court within whose area of jurisdiction the commissioning parent or parents are domiciled or habitually resident. 

* At least one of the commissioning person(s) must be genetically related to the child.


'''Non-Commercial Sperm and Egg Donation'''

* Is permitted
* Reimbursement of expenses permitted
* Is anonymous
|Regulatory activities=
|Accountability and governance=
|History=
|External links=http://www.iucnrosa.org.zw/elisa/Environmental%20Law/south_africa/human_tissue_act.html

http://www.parliament.gov.za/pls/portalweb_app.utl_output_doc?p_table=draft_        bills&p_doc_col=draft_bill&p_mime_col=mime_type&p_id=588648
}}
== References ==
<references/>