Experts warn against unethical reproductive practices, call for national legal framework to protect patients, children and families
By Abdulrahman Aliagan,
The Ilorin Emirate Professors’ Association (IEPA) has called for stronger ethical and regulatory frameworks to guide the use of gene editing, In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and surrogacy in Nigeria, warning that advances in reproductive medicine must be balanced with respect for human dignity, family values and social responsibility.
The call was made during an IEPA webinar on gene editing, IVF and surrogacy, which brought together experts to examine the medical, ethical, Islamic and social implications of emerging reproductive technologies.
The discussions highlighted concerns over patient safety, informed consent, the protection of children and gestational carriers, the psychological and financial burdens of infertility, and the need for clearer laws governing assisted reproductive technologies in Nigeria.
In her opening remarks, the webinar convener, Professor Binta Ajibola Sulyman, said advances in medical science had created new possibilities in healthcare and human reproduction but also raised complex questions requiring careful consideration.
She noted that the implications of these technologies extended beyond medical practice to issues of religion, family relationships, ethics and social responsibility.
Sulyman said the webinar was organised to bring experts together to examine the issues from medical, ethical, Islamic and social perspectives, while encouraging informed discussions among stakeholders.
In his welcome address, the President of IEPA, Professor Abdul Kabir Hussain Solihu, said scientific advancement must be accompanied by ethical reflection, social responsibility and respect for human dignity.
Solihu, whose tenure as IEPA president runs from 2024 to 2026, stressed the importance of balancing scientific innovation with ethical and religious considerations.
“Our goal is not to reject progress, but to ensure that progress remains anchored in moral clarity and Islamic values,” he said.
He cautioned against both the outright rejection of new medical technologies and their uncritical acceptance, emphasising the need to examine their implications carefully.
According to him, the webinar was intended to improve public understanding of the technologies, address the ethical and Islamic questions they raise, and provide stakeholders with a basis for informed decisions.
Speaking on the medical dimensions of the subject, Professor AG Ahmed, a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Canada, highlighted the need for stronger clinical accountability, effective patient counselling and transparent reporting of IVF outcomes.
Ahmed identified infertility as a significant health and social concern, noting that affected individuals and couples may experience considerable psychological, emotional and financial pressure.
He referred to the World Health Organisation’s 2023 estimate that approximately one in six adults globally experiences infertility, underscoring the importance of access to appropriate care and reliable medical information.
The professor also raised concerns about the ethical implications of gene editing, particularly interventions that could affect future generations, as well as the use of preimplantation genetic testing in reproductive medicine.
He stressed the need to protect patients from misleading claims about treatment success and ensure that individuals undergoing fertility procedures understand the possible risks, benefits, costs and limitations.
Ahmed further called for safeguards to protect gestational carriers and children born through assisted reproductive procedures, including clear arrangements for consent, medical care, confidentiality and parental responsibilities.
He noted that the absence of clear regulatory standards could expose patients and other parties to avoidable medical, psychological and legal complications.
The presentation also highlighted the importance of accurate laboratory procedures, proper handling of reproductive materials, protection of genetic information and transparent communication of treatment outcomes.
On the religious and social implications, Professor AbdulRazzaq A. Alaro, mni, a Professor of Islamic Law and Director of Quality Assurance at the University of Ilorin, said scientific innovation should operate within appropriate ethical, religious and legal boundaries.
Alaro explained that Islamic jurisprudence recognises legitimate medical treatment, but maintains specific conditions for the use of assisted reproductive technologies.
He said the mainstream Sunni Islamic position generally permits IVF where the sperm and egg belong to a legally married couple and the resulting embryo is transferred to the wife during the subsistence of the marriage.
However, he noted that the use of donor sperm, donor eggs, donor embryos and surrogacy is generally prohibited under the position adopted by major contemporary Islamic jurisprudential bodies, particularly because of concerns about lineage, parentage, inheritance and family identity.
Alaro also distinguished between gene-editing interventions intended to treat serious diseases and those aimed at enhancing non-medical traits.
He said therapeutic interventions may be considered permissible under appropriate conditions, while heritable germline editing and non-medical genetic enhancement raise serious ethical and religious concerns.
Beyond religious considerations, the legal scholar highlighted the social consequences of infertility, including stigma, marital pressure and the disproportionate burden often placed on women.
He warned that the commercialisation of reproductive services, coupled with weak safeguards, could create opportunities for exploitation, trafficking and other abuses.
Alaro also raised questions about the legal status of children born through assisted reproductive technologies, particularly in relation to parentage, custody, maintenance, inheritance and the protection of genetic information.
He called for a comprehensive national legal framework to regulate assisted reproductive technologies and emerging genomic interventions in Nigeria.
According to him, such a framework should provide for the licensing and inspection of fertility clinics, transparent reporting of treatment outcomes, informed consent, accurate identification and handling of reproductive materials, and effective protection of patients’ personal and genetic data.
He further recommended collaboration between medical experts, legal practitioners, religious scholars and policymakers to develop regulations that reflect scientific evidence while addressing Nigeria’s ethical, cultural and social realities.
The webinar underscored the importance of ensuring that access to reproductive medicine does not come at the expense of patient safety, child welfare, privacy or the rights of vulnerable individuals.
Participants were also urged to promote public education and reduce the stigma associated with infertility, while encouraging individuals and couples to seek reliable medical advice before making decisions about reproductive treatment.
The discussions reinforced a central message: advances in gene editing and assisted reproductive technologies offer important medical possibilities, but their responsible use requires clear standards, informed decision-making, professional accountability and effective safeguards.
For Nigeria, the experts’ contributions pointed to the need for sustained engagement among healthcare professionals, religious authorities, legal experts and government institutions to ensure that scientific progress is matched by laws and ethical principles capable of protecting individuals, families and society.