IVF Under the Lens: NCW Forms Expert Committee to Strengthen Fertility Clinic Oversight

NCW has set up an expert panel to review the regulatory framework governing IVF clinics and ART centres in India.

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Jul 10, 2026 - 23:33

IVF Under the Lens: NCW Forms Expert Committee to Strengthen Fertility Clinic Oversight

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has formed a high-level expert panel to review the regulations pertaining to in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics, gamete banks, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) facilities in India. The decision was made in response to growing concerns about unethical behavior, inconsistent standards, and the need for better protections for women undergoing fertility treatments. The Commission seeks to guarantee that reproductive healthcare is responsible, transparent, and safe, even if there is still a sizable demand for IVF treatments.

Experts to examine regulatory loopholes.

Justice (Retd) Asha Menon, former judge of Delhi High Court, will head the new committee. Its members are experts in medicine, law, forensic science, public policy, law enforcement and reproductive health. The panel has been asked to examine the administrative, ethical and legal environment for fertility services and to suggest ways to improve oversight and regulation.

Sample: Ethical & Transparent Treatment

The NCW said that while registration of IVF clinics and gamete banks under the National ART and Surrogacy Register is mandatory, several concerns still prevail. This includes allegations of unethical medical practices, lack of uniform treatment protocols, inadequate counselling for patients and possible financial exploitation. The Commission also expressed concern about medical tourism and the need to ensure compliance with laws designed to prevent the abuse of reproductive technologies.

Current law review

The committee will look into the implementation of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 and rules framed thereunder. It will examine whether the legal framework is adequate to protect patients' rights, to ensure informed consent, to protect privacy and to ensure adequate documentation of gamete donation and embryo handling. The panel is also expected to recommend Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for more uniform functioning of IVF clinics across the country.