RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 The new Italian law on assisted reproduction technology (Law 40/2004) JF Journal of Medical Ethics JO J Med Ethics FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics SP 536 OP 539 DO 10.1136/jme.2004.010231 VO 31 IS 9 A1 V Fineschi A1 M Neri A1 E Turillazzi YR 2005 UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/31/9/536.abstract AB The Italian parliament passed the law on assisted reproduction after a heated debate. The promulgation of this law (Law 40/2004) is the end point of a long and troubled journey that has seen many bills come and go, all of which have failed. The law consists of a whole set of regulations that will have a great impact on health and on society in general. The law is against many of the technical practices of assisted reproduction; several such practices are banned. This paper outlines ethical and medicolegal issues arising in connection with the law. The law states that no more than three embryos must be created at any one time and all the embryos created must be transferred together even if the couple does not need all the embryos. Embryo cryopreservation is also forbidden, as is assisted reproductive technology (ART), which uses a third party in any way, and the screening of embryos for genetic defects.