Bipartisan plan makes fertility fraud a serious crime in Michigan

Rep. Alicia St. Germaine (R-Harrison Township) is spearheading a plan to protect Michigan families by making fertility fraud a federal crime in Michigan.

“This change is long overdue,” St. Germaine said. “I was shocked to discover just how loose the oversight has been when it comes to fertility treatments up to this point. No mother or father trying to grow their family and deliver a healthy child into the world should have to wonder if their fertility clinics or donors are lying to them.”

St. Germaine is helping sponsor a bipartisan plan, House Bills 4178-82, to prohibit medical practitioners from providing false or misleading information, including falsifying the identities of sperm or egg donors. The bills would make providing such false information to assisted-pregnancy patients a felony and provide justice to the victims of fertility fraud.

The House Judiciary unanimously approved House Bills 4178-82 this week, advancing them to the full House for further consideration.

“My only concern now is that we will delay” St. Germaine said. “We need to get this to the governor’s desk as soon as possible and send a clear message that parents, and children will always be protected in the state of Michigan. I think we can make that happen, but it’s going to take all of us working together to keep these people safe.”