British "charity" to offer IVF lottery

Spend some time on message boards for women who are trying to get pregnant, and it becomes obvious that conceiving is something of a lottery, no matter what steps you take. Even with healthy living, using an ovulation calendar and tests and timing intercourse, getting pregnant is a lottery of life. But, who thought that someone would literally set up a lottery of life and offer IVF treatments and surrogacy to some "lucky winners" who have bought lottery tickets? Well, this is exactly what one British woman did. And there's more! She says she'll set up lotteries to win cancer drugs and a care for the elderly, too! What do you think about this controversial lottery?

After reading about it in British tabloids, my first reaction was disbelief. Now, I feel sick. Initially the lottery's founder, a woman from London called Camille Strachan, said she would offer treatments including IVF and other fertility treatments, and surrogacy in top British fertility clinics for a total value of 25,000 Pounds Sterling. No clinic signed up for this dubious lottery though, so they have now gone further afield to Spain and two other countries the "charity's" founder did not care to reveal.

All she said was: "We have three clinics in the bag and they are all abroad and really top clinics. One is in Spain but I can't say who yet. They have doctors in Harley Street and will have counselors on hand all the time." Britain's fertility watchdog the HFEA replied that the lottery was "wrong and entirely inappropriate" and added that they would be writing to any fertility clinics participating in the program. In Britain, women over 45 are not approved for IVF treatment and single people who can arguably have a one night stand with anyone they want have to prove they'll be fit parents before approval.

More relaxed rules abroad, according to the charity's founder, offer opportunities for women who want children: "I don't want to be judgmental. Some women just really want a child and they've been driven crazy by careers or they haven't met the right man. I hope to give opportunities to people who would be turned down in the UK for whatever reason." Uh. Too many ethical questions here to even think about!