Thanks, Sara and Marna for posting on such an important issue...the question of whether or not we, as professionals in the field of alternative family formation, can effectively self-regulate is both timely and imperitive. Yes, the media tends to grab hold of the salacious and the sensational, representing an example of wreckless practice and suggesting it is the norm. There is nothing much we can do about the drive to attract traffic to a news channel; the sexy story gets the greatest interest.
Those of us, though, who are in a position to guide both patients/clients, donors and/or surrogates to colleagues and practices for a next level of service, those of us who refer can and should be vigilant about doing so only to service providers who exhibit "best practices". If clients, donors and surrogates are redirected away from the "wild, wild west" of service providers and what becomes the standard for best practices is what the public experiences, both practically and through the media, there will be no invite for government intervention or, at least, the siren that sounds loud to those legislators pushing to draft law around ARTs pracitces will quiet a bit and we, the professionals in this field, can reinforce standards of practice we know are both responsible and appropriate.
Thanks, Sara and Marna for posting on such an important issue...the question of whether or not we, as professionals in the field of alternative family formation, can effectively self-regulate is both timely and imperitive. Yes, the media tends to grab hold of the salacious and the sensational, representing an example of wreckless practice and suggesting it is the norm. There is nothing much we can do about the drive to attract traffic to a news channel; the sexy story gets the greatest interest.
ReplyDeleteThose of us, though, who are in a position to guide both patients/clients, donors and/or surrogates to colleagues and practices for a next level of service, those of us who refer can and should be vigilant about doing so only to service providers who exhibit "best practices". If clients, donors and surrogates are redirected away from the "wild, wild west" of service providers and what becomes the standard for best practices is what the public experiences, both practically and through the media, there will be no invite for government intervention or, at least, the siren that sounds loud to those legislators pushing to draft law around ARTs pracitces will quiet a bit and we, the professionals in this field, can reinforce standards of practice we know are both responsible and appropriate.
Thanks, Amy Demma
Amy Demma, Esq.
www.lawofficesofamydemma.com
www.prospectivefamilies.com