NCW Constitutes Expert Committee to Review IVF, ART Clinics and Surrogacy Laws Amid Rising Concerns Over Irregularities

July 9, 2026 : The National Commission for Women (NCW) has constituted a high-level Expert Committee to comprehensively review the regulatory framework governing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services, including IVF clinics, ART centres and gamete banks. The move comes amid growing concerns over irregularities and unethical practices in the rapidly expanding fertility sector.

The committee will be chaired by former Delhi High Court Judge Justice Asha Menon and will comprise experts from the judiciary, medicine, forensic science, law enforcement, gynaecology, public policy and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The panel has been tasked with examining the effectiveness of the existing legal and regulatory framework while ensuring the protection of women’s reproductive rights, dignity and safety.

According to the NCW, existing regulatory compliance measures have not been sufficient to curb unethical practices in the ART sector. The Commission has also expressed concern over the rise of medical tourism in fertility services, warning that it could facilitate the circumvention of India’s legal safeguards, including provisions aimed at preventing sex selection.

The Commission further noted that the lack of uniform treatment protocols across different states has exposed women to unnecessary medical procedures, inconsistent standards of care and possible financial exploitation. It emphasized the need for stronger regulatory oversight to ensure ethical and transparent reproductive healthcare services.

As part of its mandate, the Expert Committee will review the implementation of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the relevant amendment rules notified in 2026. It will assess existing safeguards relating to informed consent, patient privacy and biological traceability while identifying regulatory and procedural gaps that could enable exploitation, fraud or malpractice.

The committee will also recommend reforms to strengthen institutional accountability and propose Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and best practices for IVF clinics and ART centres. These recommendations are expected to promote ethical treatment practices, standardized clinical protocols and greater transparency across the assisted reproductive technology sector.

Reaffirming its commitment to women’s rights, the National Commission for Women stated that reproductive healthcare must be guided by the principles of dignity, informed choice, transparency and accountability. It emphasized that every woman seeking assisted reproductive services should be assured of safe, ethical and rights-based medical care.