IVF stalemate continues in parliament; photo - PAPMPs sent five of six bills on the state funding of IVF treatment back to parliamentary committee, Friday morning, after their first reading in the lower house. (Sejm).
The bills will join in committee a draft law written a year ago by the opposition Democratic Left Alliance, as parliamentarians continue to grapple with an issue which has divided liberals and conservatives in Poland and even split members of the Civic Platform party itself.
The bills range from a liberal draft law by Margorzata Kidawa-Blonska (Civic Platform) – which has gained support from Prime Minister Donald Tusk - allowing IVF treatment on the national health fund for married and unmarried couples and the freezing of embryos.
A more conservative bill, by Jaroslaw Gowin – again from the Civic Platform party – envisages a ban on freezing embryos and limiting public funding of treatment to married couples only.
A bill written by the opposition Law and Justice’s Boleslaw Piecha seeks to ban IVF outright.
Another bill sponsored by Law and Justice’s Teresa Wargocka which would criminalise IVF treatment – punishable by up to five years in jail – was dismissed entirely by MPs this morning.
Currently IVF is only available in Poland in private clinics, which MPs from Civic Platform and the Democratic Left Alliance say discriminates against poorer childless couples.
The Roman Catholic Church in Poland has led opposition to the liberalization of IVF treatment, saying it is the “younger sister to eugenics” and called on the faithful to pray for an outcome in parliament in keeping with the teachings of the Church. (pg)