NEWS

On November 21, 2024, in the "Prof. Dr. Alexander Chirkov" Auditorium of the "St.
Ekaterina” was held the first national conference of its kind dedicated to
donation of genetic material. The forum, entitled "The Square of Life", brought together
over 200 participants and was held under the patronage of Prof. Tsekomir Vodenicharov, MD and
Faculty of Public Health of MU-Sofia.

The event was organized by the Executive Agency for Medical Supervision and
"I Want a Baby" Foundation, with the active participation of leading specialists in the field
reproductive health, ethics and medicine. The conference was moderated by
Prof. Alexandrina Vodenicharova, MD, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Care, and a congratulatory speech was delivered by Prof. Dr. Boycho Landzhov, Rector of the Medical University - Sofia. 

The following speakers participated in the program:

• Ivanka Dineva – Executive Director of IAMN
• Assoc. Maria Yunakova, dm – Chairman of BASRZ
• Attorney Maria Yaneva – Chairman of the “I Want a Baby” Foundation
• Angel Stoychev – Chairman of the National Socialist Party of Bulgaria
• Prof. Stoyan Stavrou – Doctor of Civil and Family Law
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Margarita Stankova – Psychiatrist
• Radina Velcheva – Founder of the "I Want a Baby" Foundation

The conference marked the beginning of a large-scale national information campaign
campaign that will cover medical universities across the country. The goal is to
raise awareness and create better training for future medical professionals to work with donors and recipients.

Particular emphasis was placed on the psycho-emotional support of donors
and recipients, as well as on the bioethical and legal aspects of donation. The experts discussed current trends in the field of reproductive health and the need for coordinated efforts between all stakeholders.

The forum ended with a consensus on the need to improve the system
for genetic material donation in Bulgaria and ensuring better
options for families with reproductive problems.

For more information about the initiative and future events, you can
follow the official website of the Faculty of Public Health.