Have empathy, do not let couples suffer anymore and do not let this country continue to export their challenges to other countries, Prime Minister Robert Abela told Parliament as he urged all MPs to vote in favour of the government's new IVF bill.

Abela addressed parliament on Wednesday as MPs started debating the new IVF law, which proposes pre-genetic testing for nine rare genetic conditions, among other services.

"This speech is not about what I think, because my thoughts don't matter when compared to the thoughts and feelings of people who have gone through endless suffering," he said.

"I just wish those parents could be here instead of me to tell you themselves why they need this new law."

He said there are parents who are genetically prone to conceive embryos with rare, severe, genetic conditions, which cause the baby to live a short painful, miserable life before it dies.

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These couples will conceive embryos with the genetic condition inevitably, and pre-genetic testing is their only way to hope for a healthy baby.

A draft protocol, issued by the Embryo Protection Authority and tabled in parliament on Wednesday, suggests how the genetic testing should be carried out to look out for nine rare and severe genetic conditions.

"I met Manuel and Amanda. Their young son lived only for a few months of endless pain," Abela told parliament.

"Manuel recalls countless sleepless nights when he would have to stay awake with his baby son, just to make sure he doesn't choke and die. His son was attached to medical equipment, waiting inevitably to die.

"Eventually, his son died and the suffering may have ended for him, but not for his parents, who are still reeling from the trauma and despite wanting to have another child, know that without this new law, they will be doomed to go through the same suffering once again."

He also mentioned another couple who had a daughter diagnosed with gangliosidosis, which is one of the nine medical conditions listed for pre-genetic testing. He said doctors told them the girl had no chance of surviving and she died when she was two, after two years of suffering.

"What am I supposed to tell these couples? Are we going to tell them that we plan on remaining indifferent to their suffering? That might be easy, but not just," Abela said.

"This procedure is available overseas, but not all couples have that budget, and why should we let them spend all that money when we can offer it here?"

Abela said pre-genetic testing will not be offered "capriciously". It will not be offered to all IVF couples. In fact, most will not be eligible for it.

It will only be made available to those parents who know their baby will inevitably bear the severe condition.

He told MPs that they all have a responsibility to find a solution to the problem and offer hope to parents, telling them principles are nothing without empathy.

Abela said the other proposed amendments would make parents eligible for IVF until the age of 49 and would offer parents a fourth cycle and a second chance at another child, even if they already have one child, naturally or via IVF.

Opposition against pre-genetic testing

Doctor and health shadow minister Stephen Spiteri took the floor immediately afterwards, arguing that while the Opposition is all for reducing suffering, lawmakers must strike a balance between the rights of parents and the rights of the embryo.

He said the Opposition is largely in favour of the amendments but sees a contradiction in the amendment allowing pre-genetic testing.

"It is done with all good intentions, but it will not be protecting the vulnerability of the human life in the embryo," he said.

"Some of the listed conditions are truly not compatible with prolonged life. But with the other conditions, people could live a relatively long and normal life. What are we going to tell these people? That they should not have lived?

Opposition MP Stephen Spiteri. File photo.

"Let's say we find genetic traits in conditions that usually appear late in a person's age. Alzheimer's for instance appears at 70 years of age. It's severe, but what are we saying? Do we add it to the list as well?"

The Opposition MPs criticised the law for attempting to choose between those embryos who are born and those who are not; between those who are good enough to live and those who are not. And that, they said, is discriminatory and goes against the principles of equality.

Spiteri argued that pre-genetic testing is not completely reliable and the test itself may be detrimental to the embryo's survival. He also said embryos that have not been chosen because they carry the genetic condition are very unlikely to be adopted. 

The Opposition suggested polar body testing, which essentially is similar to pre-genetic testing, but performed only on the eggs of the woman. This way, the testing is done before the embryo has been formed.