Doctors for Life issued a statement proposing Polar Body Testing over Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis (PGD).
Polar Body Testing is a method for the genetic analysis of oocytes before the end of fertilization (preconception diagnosis). A polar body is a small haploid cell that is formed concomitantly as an egg cell during oogenesis, but which generally does not have the ability to be fertilized.
On the other hand, prenatal genetic diagnosis involves screening embryos for certain genetic diseases. Embryos found to carry such conditions are in most countries discarded, however, health minister Chris Fearne announced that such embryos would be kept frozen and offered for adoption.
In a statement on Wednesday, Doctors for Life said that Polar Body Testing is more ethical than PGD. The NGO said: “At the point of fertilisation, a new human life has begun whether this happens naturally or in IVF. This is a scientific and biological fact and not a matter of opinion.”
“A human embryo is not just a ‘clump of cells’, but a living, complete organism. It is a human being at an early stage of its development and as such needs to be treated with due respect and dignity,” Doctors for Life said, and added: “A bias that attributes value to a human life according to functions, faculties, size or appearance has no place in a society that seeks to eliminate discrimination amongst human beings.”
The NGO voiced its concern over the recent proposal to introduce prenatal genetic diagnosis, and said “any notions of adoption are misleading”, adding that Malta would in practice freeze them indefinitely.
Doctors for Life observed that 388 embryos remain frozen, despite their previous recommendations. It added that none of them have been adopted so far.
“The notion that these “genetically abnormal”, discarded embryos will be adopted is ludicrous. The public should not be misled. These embryos will be left permanently frozen,” they said.
Whilst acknowledging the difficulties couples seeking IVF whose children may suffer
from genetic conditions, Doctors for Life slammed the proposal as “eliminating the ill”.
The NGO called for more ethical and humane approaches, advocating for Polar Body Testing which it described as a ‘limited screening for genetic conditions’.
“Polar Body Testing offers the possibility of detecting an abnormal number of chromosomes as well as maternal single gene diseases. With this method, parental concerns would be addressed by screening for specific conditions; however this would be done before we form the embryos, not after.”
Whilst the screening is not as broad as PGD it avoids all the ethical burdens, it added.
Doctors for Life concluded by saying it would issue a paper on the matter as it encouraged an ‘honest’ consultation on the matter and called for a free vote in the House of Representatives.
Sors: Newsbook Malta