The Life Network Foundation said today that the practice of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is offensive to people who have some form of condition or illness.

In a statement, the foundation said that in the course of a parliamentary debate on the estimates relative to the Embryo Protection Authority, reference was made to Bill 76 of 2019 (Minor Protection [Alternative Care] Bill), particularly to the need for it to be explicitly stated that the word “minor” must include the pre-born child at every stage.

Life Network Foundation trusts that this proposal will be welcomed by Government in order for it to be firmly established that all children in these islands, whether born or yet to be born, are protected equally.

As Labour MP Etienne Grech correctly stated, Government opposes abortion. It follows from this that neither the Government nor the Opposition should meet with any difficulty in accepting this proposal and moving to amend the definition of the word “minor” as explained.

The discussion on pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a source of concern. This subject had been discussed when the Embryo Protection Act was being amended and there was agreement that no distinction should be made between embryos suffering from some condition and those that were not.

The practice of PGD involves screening embryos during the IVF process in such a way as to ensure that those embryos suffering from some genetic condition are not allowed to live and are returned to a freezer.

This practice is offensive to our Maltese and Gozitan brethren who may themselves be suffering from some condition or illness but experience the love of their families and friends nonetheless. PGD discriminates against those suffering from a genetic condition, implying that they somehow have a lesser right to live than those who enjoy full health.