THE Ministry of Health supports the principle set by the Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC) to compensate women who donate their eggs for research for their loss of time and earnings.

This is on top of reimbursement for expenses.

The ministry will be amending the Human Cloning and Other Prohibited Practices Act to put the donor compensation into effect, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Act now only allows for reimbursement of reasonable expenses of the egg donor.

In a report giving its recommendations on donation of human eggs for research, BAC said on Monday the compensation should not be so high that it becomes an inducement.

MOH said it has noted the distinction made by the committee between 'reimbursement' for incurred expenses, 'compensation' for loss of time and earnings, and 'inducement' to donate because of monetary gain.

While trading of human parts is considered unethical, compensation not tantamount to inducement is not unethical as it seeks to protect the welfare of the donors.

Underlying the recommendations is the principle that the human body must not be treated as a commodity.

On the other hand, donors must be treated fairly and should not be expected to suffer any financial loss; and 'cost of treatment for any medical complications that may arise,' said the ministry.

MOH will study how to implement the BAC's recommendation on protecting donors when complications arise.