Gift of Life calls for IVF law to protect human embryo

Gift of Life’s annual pro-life march was held in Valletta yesterday to raise funds for women in a crisis pregnancy.

The march was also aimed at emphasising the beauty of human life from conception to natural death and to remind all Maltese and Gozitans of pro-life values.

The lobby called on Maltese MPs to legislate to fully protect the dignity and right to life of the human embryo during IVF treatment, and stressed its opposition to embryo freezing as part of standard IVF treatment in Malta. However, the group said it supported vitrification as a viable and more ethical option.

After more than five years of discussion, numerous Parliamentary Committee meetings and no less than three reports, government has yet to produce a Bill for the legislation of IVF.

The movement is also calling on political parties to come together and entrench an anti-abortion clause in the Constitution.