Women's panel sets up expert committee to review IVF sector amid fraud concerns

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 9, 2026 22:23 IST

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has constituted a high-level expert committee to review the regulatory framework governing In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) clinics, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) centres and sperm and egg banks amid growing concerns over irregularities in the fertility treatment sector.

The move comes days after India Today TV reported an IVF fraud case in Gurugram, where a couple claimed that DNA tests revealed the IVF-conceived twins were not biologically theirs.

The committee, headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Asha Menon, comprises experts from the judiciary, medicine, forensic science, law enforcement, gynaecology, public policy and the Union Health Ministry.

The panel will examine the implementation of the ART (Regulation) Act, 2021, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the 2026 amendment rules.

Announcing the committee, the NCW flagged concerns over unethical practices, the rise of medical tourism, possible circumvention of legal safeguards including sex selection, lack of uniform treatment protocols, financial exploitation of patients, and inadequate regulatory oversight in the IVF sector.

The committee will review existing safeguards relating to informed consent, privacy, and biological traceability, identify gaps in the current regulatory framework, and recommend legal and policy reforms.

It will also formulate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and best-practice guidelines to enhance transparency, ensure ethical treatment, and standardise clinical protocols across IVF and ART centres.

According to the NCW, the committee's recommendations are expected to strengthen governance of the ART ecosystem while safeguarding the rights, dignity, and safety of women seeking fertility treatment in India, where infertility affects an estimated 2.8 crore people and around 3 to 3.5 lakh IVF cycles are carried out every year.

Apart from procedural irregularities plaguing the sector, IVF treatment is also pushing many Indian couples into debt. A government report has warned that nearly nine out of 10 couples undergoing IVF face significant financial strain. According to experts, India's IVF market is largely dominated by private, self-funded providers, making treatment costs prohibitively expensive for many families and that final bills often exceed advertised package prices by 30 to 60 per cent, placing an additional financial burden on couples seeking fertility treatment.

GURUGRAM COUPLE CLAIMS DNA TEST SHOWED IVF TWINS NOT BIOLOGICALLY THEIRS

A Gurugram couple, Rahul Rathore and his wife, have alleged that their twin daughters born through IVF are not biologically theirs. They claimed they became suspicious after noticing that one of the twins did not resemble either parent and later underwent a DNA test.

According to the couple, they underwent IVF treatment at a reputed hospital last year, with embryos implanted in May 2025. The woman gave birth to twin girls in January 2026. However, a DNA test allegedly showed that neither the maternity nor paternity samples matched the children.

Rahul Rathore suspects that their embryos or samples may have been misplaced or exchanged with those of another couple. The matter turned into a legal battle after, according to the couple, police initially failed to register their complaint, with an FIR being filed only after court intervention on March 31.

The couple is now seeking answers about the whereabouts of their biological children and have urged authorities to seize IVF records and conduct a thorough investigation.

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