NHRC notices to health ministry, ICMR over dubious IVF clinics

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued notices to the union health ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) over media reports about dubious In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) clinics in Delhi.

The notices were issued after a media report said that most IVF clinics, helping childless couples to become parents, were operating in Delhi without registration.

"The commission has observed that the contents of the report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of childless couples in the country," a statement from NHRC said on Friday.

Out of over 300 such clinics operating in the national capital, only 39 were registered with the ICMR, said the media report.

NHRC has sought the response of the union health ministry and the ICMR within two weeks.

According to the report, many such centres do not have adequate trained manpower and infrastructure to handle these highly sophisticated technologies and the services provided by some of these clinics were highly questionable.