Church 'not open to IVF'

The Church can never accept artificial fertilisation, even if it does not involve harming, destroying, freezing or experimenting on the human embryo - and even if it is used by married couples who do not require third-party donations.

"The union of the gamete should not take place in a lab or a test tube," the president of the Theological Commission, Fr Hector Scerri said yesterday.

He was clarifying a statement issued by the Commission last Thursday in which it described the instances where artificial fertilisation should not be allowed.

The statement was reported in an item entitled Church Leaves Door Slightly Open To IVF.

Fr Scerri said the Church was open to IVF legislation, not IVF.

The Commission's statement had said the embryo should not be used as a "piece of biological material" and should not be harmed, destroyed, frozen or experimented on, adding it should also not be used by unmarried couples or couples who require third-party donations.

Saint James Hospital director Josie Muscat had said his hospital did not freeze embryos because all the eggs that are fertilised are implanted into the woman, so the Church's guidelines could and are being followed. But the statement did not specify that even if these safeguards were made, the Church remained against IVF because this went contrary to the natural process.

Therefore, while the Church is willing to participate in social dialogue about how IVF legislation should be introduced for it to be regulated, this would only apply to those who choose to act outside the Catholic faith.

cperegin@timesofmalta.com