“Most MAPs are abortifacient in effect” says Life Network Foundation Malta
Superintendent of Public Health may become answerable at law
Life Network Foundation Malta refers to the ongoing discussion on the MAP, and the frequently misleading, as well as biased, information put about on local media, and observes that the most recent developments appear to have totally bypassed Malta’s laws, both on abortion and on the Embryo Protection Act.
The Malta Medicines Act (CAP 458) stipulates that the role of the Medicines Authority is only to give recommendations. It is the function of the Licensing Authority, a role taken up by the Superintendent of Public Health, to issue Marketing Authorisations for medicinal products intended for the Maltese market. Unless the Licencing Authority formally delegates this responsibility to the Medicines Authority, the function of the latter is limited to nothing more than making recommendations to the Licensing Authority.
The superintendent of Public Health, as representative of the Licensing Authority (or even of the CEO of the Medicines Authority in the event of such powers being formally delegated to him by the same Licensing Authority) subsequently assumes responsibility for ensuring that Marketing Authorisations (licenses) for medicinal products intended for the Maltese market comply fully with national legislation.
Therefore, abortion being illegal in Malta, if a license is issued for a MAP in the face of scientific evidence demonstrating its abortifacient properties, the issuing authority – in this case the Superintendent of Public Health – may also become answerable at law.
Life Network Foundation Malta notes that the recommendations presented by Parliament through the Joint Health, Social Affairs and Family Affairs committee regarding the licensing of the morning after pill in Malta, have acknowledged not only that different types of MAP have different modes of action but that there are those that operate by the prevention of implantation of the embryo, thus achieving their goal by an abortifacient process.
Furthermore, there is clear and objective scientific evidence, presented to the conjoint Parliamentary committee, that most MAPs are abortifacient in effect.
Notwithstanding this, the individual authorities responsible for recommendations or deciding whether, or not, to introduce this product into Malta have seemingly chosen to ignore these facts and to recommend in favour of its importation nonetheless.
Life Network, however, has no reason to doubt the overwhelming volume of evidence that points towards the abortifacient properties of MAPs and reaffirms its commitment to the defence of life from conception to natural death. The circumstances of conception are many and varied but the right to live is a value inherent to us all.
Dr Miriam Sciberras
Chairperson
Life Network Foundation Malta
“Il-maggoranza tal-MAPs huma fil-fatt abortivi” tghid il-Life Network Foundation
Is–Supretendent tas-Sahha Pubblika jista’ jkun responsabbli quddiem il-Ligi
Life Network Foundation tirreferi ghad-diskussjoni li bhalissa ghadha ghaddejja dwar il-MAP, u l-informazzjoni zbilancjata ghal mod kif hi l-boghod mill-verita’ li qieghda tidher fuq il-Media lokali. Life Network tikkundanna l-fatt li l-ahhar zviluppi qed jindikaw li l-Ligijiet ta’ Malta qed ikunu ghalkollox injorati sew fejn jidhol id-delitt ta’ l-abort, kif ukoll fejn jidhol l-Att dwar il-Protezzjoni tal-Embrijun (Embryo Protection Act)
L-Att dwar il-Medicini (KAP458) jistipula li r-rwol tal-Awtorita’ tal-Medicini hu wiehed biss–dak li jaghmel rakkomandazzjonijiet. Hija l-funzjoni ta’ l-Awtorita’ dwar il-Licenzjar, rwol li jaqa’ taht is-Supretendent tas-Sahha Pubblika, li tohrog awtorizzazzjonijiet ta’ tqeghid fis-suq (licenzji) ghall-prodotti medicinali biex jidhlu fis-suq Malti. Sakemm l-Awtorita’ dwar il-Licenzji ma tiddelegax formalment skond regoli stabbiliti mill-Awtorita’ dwar il-Licenzjar lill-Awtorita’ dwar il-Medicini, l-uniku rwol ta’ l-Awtorita’ dwar il-Medicini hu biss limitat ghal xejn aktar hlief li taghmel rakkomandazzjonijiet lill-Awtorita’ tal-Licenzjar. Is-Supretendent tas-Sahha Pubblika, bhala rapprezentant tal-Awtorita’ghal-Licenzjar (jew Ufficjal Ezekuttiv Ewlieni fil-kaz li dawn il-poteri jigu delegati lilu mill-Awtorita’ dwar il-Licenzjar), taqa’ fuqu r-responsabbilta’ biex jizgura li l-licenzja ta’ prodotti medicinali mahsuba ghas-suq Malti huma konformi mal-Ligi Maltija.
Konsegwentement, la darba l-abort hu illegali f’Malta, jekk tohrog licenzja ghall-MAP meta hemm evidenza xjentifika cara u oggettiva li turi li l-MAP ghandha elementi li jikkawzaw abort(abortifacient), l-Awtorita’ li tohrog din il-licenzja – f’dal-kaz is-Supretendent tas-Sahha Pubblika, jista’ wkoll ikun responsabbli quddiem il-Ligi.
Life Network Foundation Malta tinnota r-rakkomandazzjonijiet li gew ipprezentati fil-Parlament mill-Joint Health, Social Affairs and Family Affairs Committee (Kumitat Parlamentari Konjunt) rigward il-possibilita ta’ licenzjar tal-MAP f’Malta, li jirrikonoxxu mhux biss il-fatt li hemm tipi differenti ta’ morning after pills li ghandhom modi differenti ta’ kif jahdmu, imma wkoll li minn dawn it-tipi hemm minnhom li joperaw billi ma jhallux l-embrijun jaqbad mal-guf tal-mara, li allura ikunu wasslu biex jikkawzaw l-abort (prevention of implantation).
Fuq kollox tezisti evidenza cara u oggettiva li giet ipprezentata lill-Kumitat Parlamentari Kongunt li fil-fatt li fil-maggoranza taghhom l-MAPs jikkawzaw l-abort (abortifacient). Madanakollu l-awtoritajiet koncernati biex jaghmlu r-rakkomandazzjonijiet jew biex jiehdu decizjoni jekk ghandiex tidhol fis-suq Malti, jidher li qed jinjoraw ghalkollox dawn il-fatti u minflok qed jirrakomandaw favur li jigu mpurtati dawn il-pilloli
Life Network Foundation m’ghandha l-ebda raguni ghalfejn tiddubita’ mill-evidenza massiva li turi bic-car li dawn il-pilloli ghandhom elementi abortivi u terga’ tikkonferma l-impenn taghha li tiddefendi l-hajja mill-koncepiment sal-mewt naturali. Ic-cirkostanzi ta’ koncepiment huma hafna u jistghu ivarjaw minn wiehed ghall-iehor izda d-dritt ghall-hajja huwa valur intrinsiku ghal kull wiehed u wahda minna.
Dr Miriam Sciberras
Chairperson
Life Network Foundation Malta
