INFERTILITY IN MEN - BIOETHICAL AND GENETIC CONSIDERATIONS

Research in the past decades coupled with scientific progress in genetics reflected in reproductive medicine have given rise to new bioethical problems and the need to promote new legislation in the poorly regulated field in Romania.  In the context of an ever-wider access to assisted reproduction techniques such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI), the genetic diagnosis of male infertility raises major psychological, bioethical and later therapy concerns. The paper dwells on the genetic causes of infertility in men as well as on its bioethical and legislative aspects.  Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis raises issues like the moral status of the embryo, the moment when we can consider that the product of conception is a person in its own right and the duty to the future child. Molecular genetics research has opened new ways to the management of diagnosis and therapy in male infertility.  Conclusions: It is crucial for reproductive medicine experts to abide by the fundamental principles of bioethics and to be able to manage conflict of interest situations, while bearing in mind that the interest of the child prevails on individual interest, the interest of the couple or the society. Romania must align to the common European Union legislative framework with regard to reproductive medicine and genetics, in compliance with the recommendations of the International Bioethics Committee.  .