Province investigates 'octuplet' couple

GUANGZHOU - The Guangdong provincial department of health has set up a task force to investigate a wealthy couple who used in vitro fertilization to have "octuplets" with the help of surrogate mothers.

The department reiterated that offering surrogate mothers runs counter to the regulations on the management of reproductive technologies issued by the Ministry of Health.

The provincial department has suspended the licensing of any new reproductive technological service centers and agencies, it said in a statement released on its website on Tuesday.