The Indian Express 27.06.2013
State, BMC to check genetic counselling centres
Following allegations that actor Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) conducted a
test to determine the sex of his yet-to-be-born surrogate child, the
state government and BMC have decided to crack down on genetic
counselling centres. A report is expected in 15 days.
The centres counsel families on planning and management.
Parents are made aware of disorders unborn children may inherit, the
consequences and options available to them.
“Like the crackdown on PCPNDT (pre-conception and pre-natal
diagnostic technique) centres across the state, it is time to take a
serious view of genetic counselling centres. We will soon begin action,”
said Jayant Kumar Banthia, state chief secretary.
Additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar,
in-charge of the BMC public health department, said all such clinics in
Mumbai would be checked starting next week.
“The Shah Rukh Khan sex determination issue highlights the
need to streamline IVF and genetic counselling clinics. The law
mandates BMC inspect these centres. We will start the exercise next
week,” she said.
The crackdown comes after activist Varsha Deshpande met
Banthia and Mhaiskar and served a legal notice to the state demanding
action against SRK and genetic counselling centres breaking
Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex
Selection) Act, 1994 .
Deshpande, supported by NGOs such as Laadli and Indian
Radiologists Association, alleged over 50 genetic clinics in Mumbai
region and over 150 in the state were conducting sex determination.
“We have served the state a legal notice under section
21(B) of PCPNDT Act and a response according to law is expected within
15 days. If they fail to do so, we will file a private criminal case
against the government and the centres. Many genetic counselling and IVF
centres in big private hospitals in the city regularly carry out
illegal sex determination,” she said.
Deshpande also petitioned the authorities to not discriminate between SRK and other citizens.
“Sex determination is a very serious issue. The government
will question the sources who provided information to newspapers and
take appropriate action,” she said.
Mhaiskar said BMC would take action once confusion over jurisdiction was cleared.
“It is a problem of jurisdiction. We do not know whether
SRK conducted a sex-determination test in Mumbai or in any other place.
If it is found that he did indeed conducted the test here, appropriate
action will be taken,” she said.
