25 May 2016 No 10/11 ISSN 1664-7963 Current Concerns PO Box CH-8044 Zurich Current Concerns Switzerland The international journal for independent thought, ethical standards, moral responsibility, Phone: +41 44 350 65 50 Fax: +41 44 350 65 51 and for the promotion and respect of public international law, human rights and humanitarian law E-Mail:
[email protected] Website: www.currentconcerns.ch English Edition of Zeit-Fragen If I had been supernumerary – I wouldn’t be here today ... No to a barrier-free reproductive medicine by Sylvia Flückiger, member of the National Council, Swiss People’s Party, Canton of Aargau ... and I would not even have been able to which we voted in June 2015. Widespread technically available genetic tests, check- defend myself. Human life is a miracle arbitrary application of Preimplantation ing out all possible genetic defects. In the and a gift, the crowning glory of God’s Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) and controver- future embryos with Down Syndrome creation. We have to be constantly aware sial genetic testing crosses ethical and reg- (Trisomy 21) would thus be discarded of this despite of everything else that we ulatory boundaries. In this way selection and eliminated before transplantation into desire. Life is not disposable and we are of human beings with disabilities would the mother’s womb. This means that they not entitled to freely experiment with and become commonplace. would be sacrificed for arbitrary societal select it. desirability. At the end of December 2015 a broad Diversity instead of selection This would inevitably lead to discrimi- non-party coalition called for a Federal It was the Federal Council’s original in- nation against people with disabilities, be- referendum against the new Reproduc- tention to allow Preimplantation Genetic cause they would thus be considered un- tive Medicine Act with 58,112 valid sig- Diagnosis only for parents with a suspect- desirable and avoidable risks.