IVF barrier for singles and gays
(cz) Canberra has ruled out Medicare funding for IVF and donor insemination for single women and lesbians who are not clinically infertile, creating another barrier to treatment even if the Bracks Government revokes the laws barring access.
A day after a long-awaited report was released urging the State Government to allow so-called “socially infertile” women to use fertility treatment, Prime Minister John Howard and Health Minister Tony Abbott reiterated their opposition to gay couples adopting and having children.
Mr Howard also called for a uniform approach throughout the country regarding adoption and access to fertility treatment.
The comments ended a week in which moral issues dominated the political debate, with Cardinal George Pell under fire for suggesting Catholic MPs in NSW who voted in favour of therapeutic cloning may not be following church teaching. more…
From: »The Age« (AUS)