Judy Norsigian is the Executive Director of
Our Bodies Ourselves, also known as the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective (BWHBC), a nonprofit, public interest women’s health education, advocacy, and consulting organization.
Ms. Norsigian spoke this afternoon with
California Politics Today about the impact on women's health of the egg extractions required for the production of human embryos for
in vitro fertilization (IVF) and for the creation of embryonic stem cells for research purposes.
In that interview, she called for a moratorium on somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) procedures until such time as more complete data about the effects on women's health from shutting down ovulation with Lupron preparatory to stimulating hyper-ovulation with other drugs could be more completely assessed.
She discussed a number of other issues involved in embryonic stem cell research, including the provisions of
SB 18, a bill by California State Senators Deborah Ortiz and George Runner now pending in the California Legislature.
Ms. Norsigian also said that whatever institutions oversee the donation of eggs for embryonic stem cell research need to assume the financial responsibility for providing these egg donors with any medical treatments required by adverse reactions that result from their participation in that process.
You can listen to this conversation with Judy Norsigian, Executive Director of Our Bodies Ourselves, in its entirety, by clicking
here.
You can visit the web site of Our Bodies Ourselves, where you'll have an opportunity to order a copy of the latest print edition of
Our Bodies, Ourselves, by clicking
here.
For additional documents addressing women's health issues as they relate to the egg donation process, click on the titles below:
Egg Donation for IVF and Stem Cell Research: Time to Weigh the Risks to Women’s Health, by Judy Norsigian
Memo from Dr. Suzanne Parisian, 2-14-05
Risks to women in embryo cloning, by Judy Norsigian
Stem Cell Research and Embryo Cloning: Involving Laypersons in the Public Debates, by Judy Norsigian
Stem Cell Research: Women who donate eggs for research also deserve premium care, by Rebecca Dresser
To access other audio interviews on the subject of egg donations for embryonic stem cell research, from alternative points of view, click on the guest's name:
Dr. David Adamson, Chairman and CEO of Advanced Reproductive Care, Inc. (ARC);
Betty Poirier, Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
To listen to an interview with Jonathan Moreno, co-chair, National Academy of Sciences Embryonic Stem Cell Research Guidelines Committee, in which he discusses those guidelines, click
here.
