G D Mitchell’s scientific contributions

In vitro fertilisation is now an established technique for treating some forms of infertility, yet it remains ethically controversial. New developments, such as embryo donation and embryo freezing, have led to further discussion. We briefly discuss the ethical aspects of IVF, focusing on the issues of resource allocation, the 'unnaturalness' of the procedure, the moral status of the embryo, surrogate motherhood, and restrictions on access to IVF. We argue that, on the whole, IVF is an ethically justifiable method of assisting infertile couples.