Aspects réglementaires et organisationnels de l’activité d’autoconservation. Le point de vue du juriste

Resume

L’activité d’autoconservation n’est, à l’heure actuelle, abordée que de manière incidente dans des textes d’application des lois de bioéthique. Les conditions de sa mise en œuvre diffèrent selon la nature de l’élément conservé: alors que l’autoconservation d’ovocytes et de tissu ovarien relèverait de la recherche biomédicale, l’autoconservation de sperme serait assimilée à une activité d’assistance médicale à la procréation.

L’activité d’autoconservation se trouve consacrée dans le projet de révision des lois de bioéthique.

Les éléments ainsi conservés peuvent être restitués au seul déposant. Ils peuvent également être utilisés, soit pour une assistance médicale à la procréation, qui est la finalité première de l’autoconservation, soit dans le cadre d’une recherche. Suite à une utilisation partielle, ou en l’absence d’une telle utilisation, la destruction des éléments autoconservés peut être envisagée, ainsi que la poursuite de l’autoconservation. Ces hypothèses posent toutefois des difficultés n’ayant pas été résolues dans le projet de loi relatif à la bioéthique.

Abstract

At the present time, legal texts in application of bioethics laws only briefly mention cryopreservation. The conditions of cryopreservation differ according to the type of tissue stored: while cryopreservation of oocytes and ovarian tissue corresponds to the field of biomedical research, semen cryopreservation corresponds to medically assisted procreation.

Cryopreservation activity is more clearly defined in the draft revision of the bioethics law.

Concerning the cryoconservation of ovarian tissue and oocytes, these difficulties result in particular in this activity’s mixed nature. It is located indeed, halfway between research and care. These two spheres of medical activity are subjected to their own distinct and exclusive, and their application is conditioned by the qualification of the implemented act.

However, this qualification is dubious here, because of, in particular, the impossibility of determining which acts of sampling, cryoconservation and use might be concerned with a research protocol.

Concerning the cryoconservation of sperm, the texts, first of all, seem to assimilate the activity of cryoconservation within an activity of assisted medical procreation.

However, such assimilation would be equivalent to the impossibility of its implementation, because of the difficulty of respecting all of the legal conditions of assisted medical procreation. However, another more favourable interpretation of the provisions seems to be possible.

Taking into consideration these uncertainties, contradictions and difficulties, the legislator intervened and devoted, by the widening of the indications of assisted medical procreation, the activity of cryoconservation in the project of revision of the laws of bioethics. He however did not solve all the difficulties.

These cryoconserved elements can be restored only to the depositor. Indeed, the texts make obstacle to a delivery for a third party of the cryoconserved sperm, whatever the moment.

They can also be used. This use can consist of assisted medical procreation, which is the first finality of cryoconservation — but it could only be implemented in respect of the whole of the legal conditions.

It seems that the cryoconserved elements could also be used within the framework of research, whatever its nature (biomedical or not) and the moment of its implementation (while the person is alive or after his death).

Its implementation should however be subjected to prior agreement and expressed while the person, whose elements were preserved, is alive. Such a use is expressly made possible in the project of revision of the laws of bioethics.

Following a partial use or a lack of such a use, the destruction of the cryoconserved elements can be considered, as well as the continuation of the cryoconservation.

However, these hypotheses raise difficulties that have not yet been resolved in the draft revision of the bioethics law.