Greens attack state's fundamentalism on IVF, Gozo bishop welcomes fertility 'science'

Alternattiva Demokratika has hit out at the government's decision to "waste time on gimmicks", referring to the introduction of a Catholic-backed family planning treatment being dubbed as 'naprotechnology'.

"While Gozo's General Hospital is falling apart and the presence of asbestos is apparent, the government is wasting time on 'gimmicks' such as naprotechnology," Alternattiva Demokratika said in a statement hitting out at the recent announcement.

"The health division recently bragged of opening a room in the hospital offering 'naprotechnology' which is nothing else but a fancy name for the method of taking temperatures to indicate the fertile or infertile period women," AD secretary general Ralph Cassar said.

"This is a clear depiction of trying to 'pander to the more conservative sections of society' who are dictating government's policy on IVF and fertility treatment."

While naprotechnology has been welcomed by the Gozo diocese, the "emerging science" has been heavily criticised by Prof. Pierre Mallia, the ethics advisor to the Medical Council, who warned that this was simply Catholic repackaging of 'natural family planning'.

"This government has abandoned people with fertility problems and continues to procrastinate on the introduction of a reasonable law on IVF," Cassar said.

"At the same time, despite the rhetoric about ethics, it allows practices which are resulting in multiple pregnancies against the professional advice of specialists. This is resulting in the death of newborns and causing serious health issues for both infants and mothers."

Cassar added that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and his government ministers' "extreme conservative attitudes" were greatly contrasting with the image that the party is trying to project to "attract young people to the Nationalist Party".

On its part, the Gozo bishop's Presbyterian council today also issued a statement welcoming the new service, and said the Health Department's initiative was in line with the Church's teaching.

"Thanks to naprotechnology, this science will for the most part of infertility cases, overcome psychological and physiological difficulties that make men and women infertile, and allow a natural procreation that respects the integrity of sexual congregation," the council said.

The council, which is composed of diocesan priests who assist Gozo bishop Mario Grech, said naprotechnology "excluded all risk of destruction of human life or exploitation of the spouses... it is morally and ethically acceptable."

Grech has in the past called on the government to use taxpayers' money for "a service that is morally good... we believe the announcement of this service on the eve of Mothers' Day was providential."

Prof. Pierre Mallia, the ethics advisor to the Medical Council, says naprotechnology is nothing new. "It's nothing new really, but simply an extension of what before we used to call 'natural procreation' - or natural family planning, which can be used both to have babies or to prevent pregnancies. It was 'invented' (not really true - other than the name) by an American physician who pioneered it and in fact offered it as a Catholic alternative to IVF; this gave him a direct club class passage to be a permanent member of the Pontifical Academy for Life."

"The difference lies in educating patients more about the woman's cycle and directing them to have sexual union within the period when the woman is ovulating. But isn't this already what we are doing?" Mallia says.

Mallia has been quick to observe that the Catholic repackaging of what is normal and health family planning "takes a ride on Catholic teaching to have a technology which competes with IVF."

"Why give it such a buzzword of a name?" Mallia asks. "One gets the feeling that the Catholic population is being manipulated."