A number of Nationalist MPs are still uncomfortable with the proposed new IVF law, hours before parliament takes a final vote this afternoon.
Last Sunday, party leader Bernard Grech said that, after the government took on a number of amendments put forward by the PN, the opposition decided to vote in favour of the law.
But four PN MPs who spoke to Times of Malta said they feel the law still goes against their ethical principles and, so, remain undecided on how to vote.
They say they are not comfortable voting for embryo genetic testing because it goes against their and their constituents’ pro-life values.
The MPs are concerned about one amendment which will allow doctors to perform genetic tests on IVF embryos before they are planted into the womb.
The embryos found to be carrying a rare genetic condition will instead be frozen but could be given up for adoption.
The testing will look out for nine rare genetic conditions but Health Minister Chris Fearne said the government is open to allowing doctors to test IVF embryos for more genetic diseases if science develops adequate testing for them.
When the law started to be discussed in parliament last month, PN health spokesperson Stephen Spiteri had expressed reservations on embryo genetic testing because it “selects” who gets to be born and who does not.
But, a week later in parliament, Grech argued that, while the party was not against such testing, the government should focus on performing genetic tests on the female eggs (oocytes) before immediately resorting to embryo testing. This would reduce the stockpile of frozen embryos and would be more in line with respect for human life from conception.
This technique is called ‘polar body testing’ and the Nationalist Party put forward the amendment for it, although the government argued it was already included in the original protocol.
The government, however, accepted to include the amendment last week.
“We spoke to families and couples facing difficulties starting a family of their own.
“As a party in favour of life, we could not say no. We had to find a balance,” Grech said on Sunday.
As a party in favour of life, we could not say no. We had to find a balance- PN leader Bernard Grech
But, also on Sunday, former party leader Adrian Delia declared that he will vote according to his conscience because he was against embryo testing that puts life in danger.
“To be clear, I declare that I do not agree with testing embryos that could endanger or be fatal to human life,” he wrote on Facebook.
Gozo PN spokesperson Alex Borg also expressed concerns over such testing because he said it may endanger human life in its earliest stages.