Changes to Malta’s IVF law backed by European infertility advocacy group

Changes to Malta’s in-vitro fertilisation law will improve access to treatment for infertility patients and make the process more successful, a European infertility advocacy group said.

Fertility Europe has expressed its full support for the changes being pushed forward by the government, including embryo freezing.

The parliamentary debate on the law starts this evening. Last Sunday hundreds of people opposed to the changes demonstrated in Valletta, asking for the government to scrap the Bill.

Fertility Europe, which is an umbrella organisation based in Belgium, said the proposed amendments would “improve access to effective treatment for infertility patients in Malta and make it more successful and safe”.

The organisation said infertility patients deserved to have their family rights honoured as defined by the World Health Organisation and the EU.

The proposed changes will allow doctors to fertilise more than two eggs. The ban on embryo freezing will also be lifted.

Read also: An idiot’s guide to how Maltese IVF law will change

Fertility Europe said embryo freezing was medically proven to increase the success rate of IVF treatment by protecting women’s health and the embryos.

“We would like to show full support to our colleagues from Malta Infertility Network in their struggle to make safe, efficient and fair treatment available in their country,” the organisation said, with reference to the Maltese affiliate.

“Fertility Europe strongly believes, that the infertility treatment should be regulated only by evidence based medicine and determined by patients’ safety, not politics, ideology or religion,” the group said.