INSTAR : Indian Society for Third Party Assisted Reproduction's Blog

MEDIA QUERY AND RESPONSE:

To INSTAR -- Hello,

I am Karuna Madan, representing the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper of Japan. It is also the largest circulated newspaper of the world. We are planning a story in Anand, Gujarat on surrogacy as a large number of such clients are from Japan. Having said that, I wanted to seek some help from you in fixing one or two interviews, if possible of surrogate mothers, anywhere in India. Also if you are okay with it, we (me and our South Asia bureau chief Mr Norimasa Tahara) wanted to interview you on statistics and other details of surrogacy in India. Is it possible that I get your phone number and fix up with you or you prefer email exchanges?

Best.

Karuna Madan,

Principal Correspondent,

The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper,

350, Block No. D-26,

Chhattarpur Hills,

New Delhi - 110074

&

Director,

The Press Club of India,

New Delhi

&

Director,

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia,

New Delhi

RESPONSE:

Dear Karuna

Thank you for the E mail. You can speak to Dr Himanshu Bavishi the President of INSTAR on phone on 0091-

We would like to inform you that after the new Ministry of Home Affairs Guidelines were brought to the notice of Indian surrogacy practitioners in 2013, to our knowledge, no new cases of Japanese couples have had surrogacy treatment in India.

We would also like to inform you that as per statistics from leading Indian clinics to our knowledge less than 50 babies a year are born for Japan and it is inaccurate to State that "large number of clients are from Japan".

India is not an option for Japanese couples for surrogacy since more than a year and a half.

We are very hopeful that accurate information will reach your readers through your papers and through our blog

INSTAR can request its member ART Banks to find out of a surrogate mother will be willing to speak to your news paper, however with small numbers and no patients for treatment we are not sure of the relevance at this stage

We would like to understand your story better

We look forward to hearing from you

With Regards

INSTAR Team