On Wednesday, February 6, Alabama’s’ Governor Kay Ivey signed a GOP-proposed bill into law that will protect in-vitro fertilization. This move comes after several weeks of deliberations and back-and-forth opinions in the state. Initially, there was a controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling that said embryos were children.
Without a doubt, this caused a lot of commotion in the state. Since the legislation states that the embryos are children, healthcare professionals could be prosecuted for any dead or discarded embryos. Therefore, several IVF clinics paused their operations to avoid the law’s wrath.
Although Ivey is also a Republican, she swiftly decided on the matter immediately after it reached her desk. “”IVF is a complex issue, no doubt, and I anticipate there will be more work to come, but right now, I am confident that this legislation will provide the assurances our IVF clinics need and will lead them to resume services immediately,” Ivey said in a statement.
This new bill aims to “”provide civil and criminal immunity for death or damage to an embryo to any individual or entity when providing or receiving services related to in vitro fertilization.”” Furthermore, it states that “”no action, suit, or criminal prosecution for the damage to or death of an embryo shall be brought or maintained against any individual or entity when providing or receiving services related to in vitro fertilization.””
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However, many people still believe this bill is not enough. According to critics, it fails to answer the core questions that the court’s’ decision prompted. Will an embryo created by IVF be as a child under Alabama law? As the legislation helps to protect the rights of doctors and parents, it doesn’t’ explicitly say that embryos are not children.
According to Republican supporters, this measure was implemented as a short-term solution. This would allow clinics in the state who had to halt their services to reopen. It will also protect doctors, clinics, and other healthcare personnel who provide IVF treatment and services by offering workers civil and criminal “”immunity.””
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Therefore, critics are still unhappy with this new bill, believing it could be better. Karla Torres, senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights, expressed her displeasure at the bill. It “”falls far short of what Alabamans want and need to access fertility care in their state without fear.””
ALSO READ: IVF Advocates Condemn Alabama Court Ruling Treating Embryos as Children
“”Even on its face, this bill seeks to grant personhood to embryos, reinforcing the state Supreme Court’s’ extreme ruling recognizing embryos as children.”” She continued that the law caused “”backpedaling in the face of state and nationwide public outcry to allow politicians to save face.””
However, the Alabama governor said that this was only a short-term measure while they prepare for the bigger picture. She also stated that it could allow “couples in Alabama hoping and praying to be parents” to “grow their families through IVF.”
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