The Telangana government has constituted a committee to investigate violations of statutory provisions and ethical norms at private in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinics and fertility centres across the State. The move comes after the Hyderabad City Police busted a baby-selling racket at Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, Secunderabad recently.
A Government Order (GO) issued by the Health Secretary Christina Z. Chongthu on Saturday, August 2 stated that numerous clinics were flouting established ethical guidelines in contravention of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, failing to adhere to mandatory registration requirements, and lacking transparency in procedures such as gamete donation, embryo transfer, and surrogacy arrangements.
The committee, formed under the supervision of the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare, will comprise the Commissioner herself, the Chief Executive Officer of the Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Care Trust (RAHCT), and the Director of Medical Education (DME). Its mandate is to conduct comprehensive inspections of all private IVF clinics and fertility centres in Telangana, ensuring strict adherence to legal, clinical, and ethical standards in reproductive medical services, the GO said.
The order directs the committee to scrutinise whether clinics are violating provisions of the ART and Surrogacy Acts by examining their functioning, patient consent processes, sourcing of gametes, and maintenance of procedural documentation. The committee is also tasked with analysing prior complaints, first information reports (FIRs), and departmental actions against erring clinics to assess the scale of the violations and the number of affected individuals, including oocyte and sperm donors, surrogates, and commissioning couples.
The committee will also investigate any possible role or inaction of public officials or regulatory bodies, such as the Medical Council, in enabling these violations. Additionally, it has been asked to evaluate the adequacy of existing regulatory frameworks and suggest measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
A detailed report with specific findings and recommendations is to be submitted to the government within 10 days. The committee may also summon officials or experts to provide information or evidence relevant to the inquiry.
Published – August 02, 2025 07:47 pm IST
