Western Australian Consolidated Acts

HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACT 1991 - SECT 53W

53W .         Offence — use of excess ART embryo

        (1)         A person commits a crime if the person uses an excess ART embryo, unless —

            (a)         the use by the person is authorised by a licence; or

            (b)         the use by the person is an exempt use as defined in subsection (2).

        Penalty: A fine of 300 penalty units or imprisonment for 5 years or both.

        Summary conviction penalty: A fine of 60 penalty units or imprisonment for 12 months or both.

        (2)         A use of an excess ART embryo by a person is an exempt use for the purposes of subsection (1) if —

            (a)         the use consists only of —

                  (i)         storage of the excess ART embryo;

                  (ii)         removal of the excess ART embryo from storage; or

                  (iii)         transport of the excess ART embryo;

                or

            (b)         the use consists only of observation of the excess ART embryo;

            (c)         the use consists only of allowing the excess ART embryo to succumb;

            (d)         the use is carried out by a licensed ART centre, and —

                  (i)         the excess ART embryo is not suitable to be placed in the body of the woman for whom it was created where the suitability of the embryo is determined only on the basis of its biological fitness for implantation; and

                  (ii)         the use forms part of diagnostic investigations conducted in connection with the assisted reproductive technology treatment of the woman for whom the excess ART embryo was created;

            (e)         the use is carried out by a licensed ART centre and is for the purposes of achieving pregnancy in a woman other than the woman for whom the excess ART embryo was created; or

            (f)         the use is of a kind prescribed by the Commonwealth Human Embryo regulations for the purposes of section 10(2)(f) of the Commonwealth Human Embryo Act.

        (3)         An accused does not bear an evidential burden in relation to any matter in subsection (1).

        (4)         In subsection (2) —

        diagnostic investigation , in relation to an excess ART embryo, means any procedure undertaken on embryos for the sole purpose of diagnostic investigations for the direct benefit of the woman for whom it was created;

        observation , in relation to an excess ART embryo, includes taking a photograph of the embryo, or taking a recording of the embryo from which a visual image can be produced.

        [Section 53W inserted by No. 17 of 2004 s. 36; amended by No. 84 of 2004 s. 82.]