The in vitro fertilisation law

Abstract

After twenty years of unregulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) practice and nine years of political debate, Malta finally has a law regulating IVF practice. The Bioethics Consultative Committee played a significant part in reaching the social consensus necessary for the passage of this Act which needed to be in line with the social value norms held by Maltese society. The law does not only regulate IVF procedures but also touches on other bioethical issues such as embryo testing, gamete donation, cloning, hybrid and chimera use, germ line gene therapy and embryonic stem cell use which have all been made illegal.