ABSTRACT
The variety of options with regard to the fate of cryopreserved human embryos, especially in consideration of fatal incidents and accidents happening to their genetic parents, have led to ethical and legal disputes inflaming social issues surrounding supernumerary in vitro fertilisation (IVF) embryos. To prevent disputes over frozen embryos, it has been suggested that IVF-partners should form a consensus prior to their undergoing IVF procedures. Prior to consensus-formation between IVF-partners, however, it is necessary to clarify and solve (at least strategically) social issues surrounding decisions about the fate of supernumerary cryopreserved IVF embryos. After all, the question if and under what conditions individuals are allowed to decide the fate of their embryos is itself a social (and ethical) issue.
