TESE and religion

I follow the Androlog e-mail list, which sends out Q&A on andrology issues. Most of the time, it is technical information of little interest to me, but I thought the following was interesting on Torah and Testicular Semen Extraction (TESE):

Androlog Mail

{Regarding Allen's query about a young man with a poor EEJ specimen:}

This is unfortunately, not a suggestion for the patient's care. But I was intrigued by the religious objection to TESE, so asked my learned, observant son. I paraphrase his comments as to the possibilities:

The required testis biopsy is surgery that does not benefit the life or health of the patient himself, thus falls under the Torah's prohibition against 'cutting' oneself. On the other hand (there is always another hand), a positive commandment, e.g. be fruitful and multiply, can outweigh a negative commandment. Furthermore, one could construe a procedure to restore the ability to have a family as part of being a religiously whole man and thus does contribute to the patient's health.

Alas, you can't shop for an opinion. You have to first pick your rabbi and then abide by the opinion you get.

Donna V., MD, PhD