Polish bishops: IVF "beneath human dignity"

To drive the message home, Polish bishops seek to underline in their statement that fertility treatment is "beneath human dignity."

The bishops stress they cannot be silent at a time when "biomedicine is seeing dynamic growth, while ethical reflection is lagging behind," Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz told Polish Radio's news agency IAR.

Some 3,000 children have been conceived via IVF since the launch of a government-run pilot programme in 2013 allowing access to fertility treatment funded by the state. Passed by the Lower House of Parliament in June, a bill regulating the procedure was signed by then president Bronisław Komorowski two months later − drawing harsh criticism from right-wing opposition Law and Justice party and Roman Catholic circles. As it stands, both married and co-habiting couples are entitled to treatment over a twelve-month period. (aba/rk)

Source: IAR