Advocating for changes to the law
The verbal sparring between Giovanni Bonello (November 29 and December 6) and Alfred Sant (December 2) on the issue of therapeutic abortion, and to a greater extent most of the online comments that ensued, did not address the most important weakness regarding the application of the principle of double effect in clinical practice.
Bonello’s claim that in situations when the woman’s life is in danger, such as sepsis for example, doctors would simply apply this principle and hence end the pregnancy to save the life of the mother is impractical. The principle states that therapeutic abortion is allowable if harm to the foetus is foreseen but indirect and unintended. The problem is that because it is often unclear what is considered indirect, the principle cannot easily be used in practice.
Contrary to the situation in other developed countries, doctors in Malta do not follow established guidelines or protocols when these issues arise. Each consultant might act differently, although they would always admit the pregnant person to hospital for monitoring. These are difficult issues to handle medically but the law as it currently stands does not help.
This is exactly why Doctors for Choice advocate for changes to the law such that if the mother’s life is in danger, then she should have the right to decide what happens next. If she does not want to accept the risks associated with the watchful waiting approach, she should be allowed to immediately terminate the pregnancy.
Isabel Stabile obo Doctors for Choice – St Julian’s
Marsalforn drowning
As I write this, our flat, on the front, is shuddering. The furniture, table and anything on it vibrates in sympathy.
If you’ve ever experienced an earth tremor, this is similar – but, in our case, now, the spasms have been going on for hours, over days.
The waves are mountainous, throwing rocks and tons of water up on to the brand-new promenade, which has been carefully constructed at a cost of millions.
More than nine years ago I felt compelled to write publicly about the vulnerability of Marsalforn, following the collapse of the breakwater. There was a reply in Times of Malta from the ministry to the effect that a replacement was imminent (this was a couple of months before an election, mind you).
The ministry always “has plans” but still no action. The bay remains unprotected, our homes are vulnerable, despite repeated public promises over the intervening years. A case of “politicians fiddling, while Marsalforn drowns”?
David Carrington – Marsalforn
A case of two weights, two measures
Why is it that the Minister of Health, Chris Fearne, informed the public that it is entirely a personal choice whether one should smoke cannabis? I shall not go into the drawbacks of
allowing the people of Malta and Gozo to smoke cannabis, however, I wish to ask the minister why he presents us with two weights and two measures.
Why is it that the minister still refuses the importation of a particular smokeless cigarette, which has been proven to be safer than the vape cigarette and obviously the normal cigarette which we all know of?
I wish to remind the minister that normal cigarettes and the vape cigarettes which have been on the market for so long, have never had the importation stopped! We all are aware that the normal cigarette is very bad for our health, and I ask, have all the various liquids of these vape cigarettes been proven to be safe for smoking?
As the minister suggested on the smoking of cannabis, why does he not leave the choice up to the consumer on this particular smokeless cigarette and not take a draconian decision on this commodity?
Carol Demajo – St Julian’s
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