Letters to the editor – May 22, 2025

IVF in Malta: a race against time, blocked by the system

Gaby Gruppetta of Lija writes:

I write this letter with a heavy heart and growing frustration on the sentiments shared by countless couples across Malta who are trying to build the families they dream of, only to be met with unnecessary barriers, delays and discrimination.

The government-funded Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinic, which offers free IVF services to eligible couples, is currently not operating its lab. As a result, individuals who cannot conceive naturally are left in limbo, forced to wait indefinitely unless they are deemed “urgent” enough to be referred to the HOPE clinic. Meanwhile, their precious, irreplaceable fertility years are slipping away. Time is not a luxury these couples have – it is everything.

Samples being examined in a lab. Photo: Shutterstock.com

Faced with this paralysis in the public system, many are left with no choice but to seek IVF treatment privately in Malta at exorbitant costs or to go abroad, where the emotional, logistical and financial toll is even greater. To make matters worse, the government only reimburses IVF treatment carried out locally. One must ask: What possible justification is there for denying support to Maltese nationals who pursue treatment abroad, especially when it is their only realistic option?

This is not a decision couples take lightly. Malta’s religious stance limits practices like embryo viability testing – not for selecting against disability or disease but simply to improve the chances of a successful pregnancy. As a result, many feel forced to seek more effective treatment options overseas. And, yet, they are left to carry the burden alone – financially, emotionally and physically.

This is not a system. It is a roadblock. And it is deeply unjust.

On behalf of all mothers and parents-to-be, I am calling on the health ministry to act now. Couples should not have to fight this hard for the chance to become parents. We demand that the government extends IVF reimbursement to treatments done abroad when local options are unavailable, inaccessible or insufficient. We demand a clear plan and timeline for when the ART lab will resume full operations. Above all, we demand empathy, fairness, and respect.

Infertility is a medical condition, not a choice. The system should support, not punish, those trying to overcome it.

Reflections on assisted dying

Carmel Sciberras of Naxxar writes:

In countries like Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands, which had legalised assisted dying/suicide some years ago, it always started with hard, heart-rending cases.

Gradually, more and more indications are added.

It always starts with strict criteria in order to prevent abuse. Gradually, these controls become more and more relaxed.

Did someone mention thin end of wedges?