Revision concluded: Regulation of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis

The Reproductive Medicine Act (RMA) underwent a substantial partial revision in 2014. The prime aim of this was to permit pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). The revised act came into effect on 1 September 2017.

Under new legislation that came into effect on 1 September 2017, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) can now be performed in Switzerland under certain conditions. The new legal provisions have imposed stricter quality criteria on laboratories active in reproductive medicine and made greater demands on their personnel in qualification terms.

Pre-implantationgenetic diagnosis

PGD is a procedure for genetically testing embryos in vitro. With “in-vitro” fertilisation (IVF), the eggs are fertilised outside the body in a medical laboratory (“in vitro” is latin for “in a test tube”). Within a few days the fertilised eggs will develop into blastocysts of over 200 cells. It is from these blastocysts that several cells are taken and genetically tested.

The following aims can be achieved with PGD

• identification whether the embryo could have a predisposition to a particular serious hereditary condition
• detection of any particular genetic features (chromosomal abnormalities) that would prevent a successful pregnancy.

As a rule, one of the blastocysts that do not have any such indications will then be transferred to the uterus.

PGD authorisation in Switzerland

PGD was forbidden by federal law in Switzerland from 2001 (when the RMA came into effect) until August 2017.

The ban was lifted in September 2017 when the revised RMA entered into effect. Since then, PGD has been permitted in Switzerland under certain conditions.

Further information

• Legislation

Further topics