more than two million human embryos have been destroyed in Britain as a result of IVF in the past 25 years, according to the latest government statistics. The figures were revealed following a parliamentary question submitted by Lord Alton of Liverpool, with the Department of Health disclosed that “the number of embryos allowed to perish in the last 12 months for which figures are available (July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014) is 174,316”. This brought the total number of embryos allowed to perish since the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 to 2,227,972. Peter D Williams, executive officer of Right to Life, described the figure as “shocking”. He said: “Either the human right to life applies to all members of the human family, or it applies to none.” He added that it “is an indictment of the way that our society ignores this fundamental principle, and allows vulnerable human beings to be manipulated and exploited for the convenience and material benefit of others. We have a long way to go before our law and medical practice is truly re-humanised in its approach to the lives of unborn children – whatever their gestational age.”
2:18 PM
Two million human embryos destroyed in the past 25 years
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