Embryo being seen worthy of protection - GoL

For the first time in local law, the human embryo is specifically being seen as worthy of full protection, even from the moment of fertilisation, the Gift of Life said.

It said in a statement that, for over 20 years, IVF treatment had been offered in private clinics in Malta with no laws regulating it or protecting embryos and prospective parents.

The law being proposed also addressed and restricted the most troublesome aspects of the treatment, such as freezing, selection and experimentation, issues that Gift of Life has been campaigning against since 2004.

It said it should be remembered, however, that IVF treatment remains an inefficient technique with a very high failure rate and that having a child was not a right but responsibility.