Health Ministry Prepares Amendment To Legalize Surrogacy
A 20-year-long battle over the legal status of surrogacy appears to be shifting in the direction of legalization, as the health ministry drafts an amendment it hopes could be taken up by the end of next year.
Transcript
00:00 For 20 years, Taiwan society has been split over whether to allow surrogacy,
00:05 the practice of women bearing other people's children.
00:08 But one side of the debate seems to be winning out.
00:11 Ko Wen-je, the Taiwan People's Party's candidate for president,
00:14 has voiced his support for making the practice legal.
00:17 The Democratic Progressive Party government has gotten on board too,
00:21 and the health ministry is drafting an amendment to the country's Assisted Reproduction Act.
00:26 We will propose a version that will have a mother-to-be,
00:32 because that is the only option.
00:35 Proponents of surrogacy say it will help make a dent
00:38 in Taiwan's stubbornly low birth rate,
00:40 on course to become the lowest in the world.
00:43 One projection indicates Taiwan's population may halve by 2070,
00:47 leaving few workers, few soldiers, and few healthy taxpayers left
00:51 to fund the health care system.
00:53 Some in the medical field are in favor,
00:55 if not as a solution to demographic woes,
00:57 then at least as a way for everyone who wants to have a family
01:00 to be able to start one.
01:02 For example, if someone has high blood pressure,
01:04 they will have kidney disease,
01:06 and there will be no workers.
01:08 Some people say that workers are too selfish.
01:10 Many people say that this is a medical profession,
01:12 and doctors will decide.
01:13 But the whole policy is right.
01:14 Some women's groups, though, have ethical reservations.
01:17 It's not just workers who are out of the system.
01:20 We are also worried about whether the health care system
01:24 will be used as a tool for women's health.
01:30 The health ministry still seems ready to go ahead
01:32 with its proposed amendment.
01:34 It says it's held over a dozen consultations with experts
01:37 on protecting children born through surrogacy,
01:39 protecting women's bodily autonomy,
01:41 and issues of family ethics.
01:44 It says it may unveil its proposal early in 2024
01:47 and send it to the Cabinet for approval by the end of the year.
01:51 Yixin Chen and John Van Triest for Taiwan Plus.
01:54 us.
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