http://theaustralian.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,4916796,00.html
The Australian
PM's cell law may ban abortions, say doctors
By John Kerin and Misha Schubert
17aug02
ABORTION could be outlawed under John Howard's stem-cell
legislation, according to IVF specialists who claimed the draft of the
proposed laws may have been "hijacked by Catholics and
conservatives".
IVF Clinic Directors Group chairman David Molloy last night warned the
bill to allow the use of surplus IVF stem cells for medical research --
about to go before federal parliament -- would go far beyond what the
state and federal governments agreed to in May.
Dr Molloy said IVF clinic specialists were concerned that Section 18 of
the Research Involving Embryos and Prohibition of Human Cloning Bill
could apply to abortion as well as embryo research. "This legislation
really now goes much further than what was agreed by the states and
the commonwealth. It appears it has either been hijacked by the
Catholics and the conservatives or is the result of exceptionally poor
drafting," he said.
Section 18 outlaws the collection of a viable human embryo from a
woman after fertilisation.
It involves removing the embryo from the uterus after fertilisation has
occurred and offers a source of embryos for experimentation, which
state and commonwealth ministers want closed.
The bill seeks to apply a maximum term of imprisonment of up to 10
years. At the courts' discretion it also can fine a doctor $66,000 and a
corporation $330,000.
"What this could mean is that a doctor, in removing a viable human
embryo from the body of a woman at least in the first 10 weeks, could
be guilty of a serious offence," Dr Molloy said.
"This could outlaw most abortions which are carried out in the first 10
weeks.
"It is very sloppy drafting and you could have the case in future where
some Right to Life group takes advantage of a loophole like this to take
on a doctor legally performing an abortion," he said.
But Council of Australian Governments Embryo Research Implementation
Task Force chairman Clive Morris last night denied the claim. "In an
abortion the doctor's intention is to destroy an embryo, this section
talks about the collection of viable human embryo," Dr Morris said.
"It is part of ensuring only embryos surplus to IVF requirements are
allowed to be used for experimentation," he said.
MPs and senators surveyed yesterday by The Weekend Australian
expected the bill to pass the House of Representatives, but it was
likely to be a closer call in the Senate, where the numbers are more
evenly split.
Both major parties have allowed a conscience vote.
National Party senator Ron Boswell said he wanted the bill sent to a
Senate inquiry. "That would give the scientists who are actually working
with stem cells a direct say on the bill -- it shouldn't just be the
'investor scientists' getting all the airplay on this," he said.
The Australian
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