29/07/2026
The Malta Federation of Organisations of Persons with Disability (MFOPD) has called on the government to suspend its proposed expansion of genetic screening in IVF treatment, warning that the move risks sending the message that some lives are more valuable than others.
The appeal comes after Prime Minister Robert Abela announced plans to expand Malta’s PGT-M testing programme to include 17 additional genetic conditions, allowing embryos affected by those conditions to be selected against during IVF procedures.
In a strongly worded statement, the federation stressed that its position is not directed at families undergoing IVF or making deeply personal reproductive decisions, nor is it opposed to scientific or medical progress.
Instead, MFOPD said its concern lies with the broader social message the policy could send about disability.
“Every time the law expands the list of disabilities for which embryos may be selected against, it inevitably raises a fundamental question: what message does society send about people who are living with those same conditions?” the organisation said.
MFOPD argued that expanding the list of genetic conditions could reinforce the perception that disability is something society should seek to prevent, rather than recognise as part of human diversity.
The federation also pointed to Malta’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which requires governments to combat prejudice, challenge stereotypes and promote respect for persons with disabilities.
It expressed disappointment that organisations representing people with disabilities were not meaningfully consulted before the government’s announcement, arguing that such consultation is a legal obligation under Article 4(3) of the UN convention.
MFOPD is now calling on the government to pause the proposed expansion until disability organisations are properly consulted and the proposal’s compatibility with Malta’s international human rights obligations is assessed.
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