'Boom' after liberalisation of Italian sperm-donor market

(ANSA) Rome, April 30 - Business is booming for Italian clinics offering sperm donations for infertile couples after an Italian court declared unconstitutional legislation previously forbidding artificial insemination.
    As many as 3500 couples have contacted clinics to ask about obtaining donor sperm over the last 22 days since the landmark ruling April 9 by the Consultative Court overturned the legal ban, the head of the Italian fertility clinics' association, Cecos Italia, Elisabetta Coccia, told ANSA.
    However she added that the Government needs to issue clear guidelines on procedures to be followed by clinics. "We are seeing a 'boom' in requests for artificial insemination. But it is necessary that the health ministry give clear indications through guidelines. Up to now we have not had any reply regarding our request".
    "We can't start until the ministry gives indications to clarify the picture," she said.