Is it just me or does it seem like every time somebody perceives a problem they automatically call for government regulation?  This column on Slate is a perfect example.  It’s a discussion of the pitfalls of the fertility industry and it delves in to the issue of twins, triplets, etc. caused by in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Some European countries limit the number of embryos a doctor can transfer during IVF; Great Britain, for instance, allows only two embryos, or three if a woman is over 40. The United States, by contrast, has no federal regulations on embryo limits. So, while a conservative doctor may opt for one or two, a cowboy physician—hoping to increase his clinic’s pregnancy rates and thereby draw more patients—may implant four or five or more.

Why does there need to be a damn federal regulation on this?  When are people going to realize that as we continue to add layer upon layer of regulation we begin to become a command economy rather than a free economy?  Some people may want more than one or two children at a time.  Others are completely within their rights to demand that their physician implants no more than two embryos.  Given our litigious society, they will have no problem getting damages from that person should he violate their agreement.  Let people decide, not the government.

Related content:

This entry was posted by Brian on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007 at 5:15 am and is filed under Health Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Please note the copyright policy.