TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) announced Thursday (Dec. 5) a significant move to expedite the legislative process by separating surrogacy from the Assisted Reproduction Act (人工生殖法). The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, 衛福部) plans to submit the draft by the end of December, addressing crucial areas where there is societal consensus.
The Legislative Yuan's Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee (立法院社會福利及衛生環境委員會) reviewed the Assisted Reproduction Act Thursday. However, the Health Promotion Administration's (HPA, 國健署) decision to decouple surrogacy from the act faced criticism as a significant policy shift.
Chiu acknowledged the need for more social consensus on specific aspects of the act and emphasized the ministry's focus on advancing agreed-upon parts while continuing public dialogue on unresolved issues. Chiu expressed the ministry's commitment to completing the process by December's end when asked about the timeline for submitting the decoupled draft to the Legislative Yuan.
Also, the media inquired about the possibility of euthanasia in Taiwan, following the late novelist Chiung Yao's (瓊瑤) advocacy for the right to die with dignity. Chiu stated that discussions on euthanasia should first examine palliative care, suggesting that adequate pain relief could make euthanasia a topic for consideration.
