Woman loses final embryos appeal
A woman left infertile after cancer therapy has lost her fight to use embryos fertilised by an ex-partner.
Posted: 11 April 2007
Natallie Evans was told by the European Court of Human Rights that she must destroy embryos created with her ex-partner, Howard Johnston.
Evans was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2001, and six of the couple's fertilised embryos were frozen and stored prior to her treatment, but Mr Johnston withdrew consent for the embryos to be used after the couple split up.
Current UK laws require both the man and woman to give consent, and allows either party to withdraw that consent up to the point where the embryos are implanted.
After exhausting the UK legal process, Ms Evans turned to the European courts.
Ms Evans lost both the case and the appeal and was told she could not take the case to the House of Lords.
Ms Evans, 35, said she was "distraught" after the Grand Chamber of the European Court ruling, but Mr Johnston said "common sense had prevailed".
So what do you think?
