Fetus Fanatic Frnzy Over Frozen Embryos Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source:"Edmond J. \(Skip\) O'Neill" Frozen embryos plan a mass killer says SPUC A COMMITTEE of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said it backs the freezing of human embryos for the first time in this country and their destruction if not used for in-vitro fertilisation within five years. Following the announcement, pro life groups last night said that they would strongly oppose any moves to freeze the embryos. The controversial report, which is due to be submitted to the Medical Council, also supports the use of donor sperm and eggs in IVF treatments. Dr Mary Lucey, president of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child, last night condemned the proposal and claimed that freezing human embryos could lead to the ``mass death'' of discarded embryos. ``Anything that lessens the moral dignity of man can't be good. Even if it helps some people, it is intrinsically wrong,'' she said. CONCEPTION Dr Lucey, who is also a member of the Catholic Doctors Guild and the Doctors for Life organisations, said that she believes and science had proven that human life begins at conception. ``So if one freezes embryos, one is interfering with that and it may lead to the killing of human life,'' she said. Des Hanafin, chairman of the Pro-Life Campaign also attacked the recommendation which he said represented the destruction of human life. And he said he would be amazed if the Medical Council would sanction the freezing of human embryos in this country. ``The Medical Council will never accept this. ``The truth is that you are tampering with human life. There would be a lot of trouble over it,'' he said. Minister for Health Brian Cowen is said by his department to be considering the best way to deal with what is described as ``this complex area.'' LEGISLATION But any move to introduce legislation allowing embryos to be frozen would be fraught with difficulty and would be sure to encounter stiff opposition from Fianna Fail backbenchers. Last year the destruction of several thousand frozen embryos in the UK lead to furore and was described at the time by the Vatican as a ``prenatal massacre.'' At present under ethical guidelines in operation here, all fertilised embryos produced as part of IVF treatments have to be replaced in the mothers. However, because of the danger of multiple pregnancies occuring, it is practice for only three embryos to be replaced in the womb although more are usually produced. There have been suggestions that in order to get around this problem doctors are implanting surplus embryos in a woman's cervix where they effectively die. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytfem-10.28.97-13:18:16-17026