A Catholic MP and a pro-life campaign group have warned that the Department of Health may widen access to a test that detects genetic abnormalities in early pregnancy, despite what they say are fears that it could lead to an increase in abortions of children with Down’s syndrome.
The non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), which is available privately and could soon be made available through the NHS, has been recommended by the UK National Screening Committee as a measure to reduce miscarriages from invasive testing.
Don’t Screen Us Out, which is campaigning against the test’s wider introduction, said that it could result in around 90 more terminations each year. “There is a strong rumour that the Department of Health are going to quietly push through the tests shortly, without consultation,” said Lynn Murray, a spokesperson for the campaign group.
The Department of Health said in January that it welcomed the screening committee’s recommendations, “which have the potential to transform antenatal screening”. In a statement this week, the department said it was currently “carefully considering the recommendations”.
Rob Flello, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, who campaigns on life issues, told The Tablet: “The Department of Health don’t want any difficulties in the way of people having abortions. They act as though the 1967 Abortion Act is not in existence.” Mr Flello described the new non-invasive test as “a piece of weaponry to intimidate expectant mums into having an abortion”.
“It [the test] is indicative of abortion being incredibly acceptable and it speaks volumes about the attitude of the NHS,” he said. “My wider concern is an even more fundamental one that, as a society, we don’t value people with Down’s syndrome.” Mr Flello said he is planning a debate at Westminster Hall in London later this year on the value of people with Down’s syndrome in society.
Ms Murray said that the NIPT has the potential to allow for the testing of the entire human genome, and is concerned that in future, women may have abortions on account of a wide range of characteristics. An open letter to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt by Don’t Screen Us Out has over 10,000 signatures, including 650 by people with Down’s syndrome.
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