In response to the Alabama Supreme Court's ruling in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos were protected under the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act, IVF clinics around the state have suspended their IVF programs, leading many, including former President Donald Trump, to call for a fix.
On Friday, Attorney General Steve Marshall's office said the attorney general has no plans of pursuing criminal charges against IVF clinics.
"Marshall has no intention of using the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision as a basis for prosecuting IVF families or providers," Attorney General chief counsel Katherine Robertson said in a statement emailed to the media.
On Saturday, Eagle Forum of Alabama called on those clinics to resume operations at their practices.
Statement as follows:
Now that Attorney General Marshall has publicly stated that he has no plans to prosecute In Vetro Fertilization (IVF) clinics, there is no excuse for any Alabama IVF clinics not to fulfill their commitments to their patients. Eagle Forum urges IVF clinics to stop holding the hopes of parents and the welfare of their children hostage. Please reopen and let your competent and compassionate staff practice.
Eagle Forum of Alabama wishes to express the utmost support for the families and IVF parents harmed by the shocking, and unnecessary, cessation of services by Alabama IVF clinics. The Alabama Supreme Court did not outlaw IVF nor their services. Because the Alabama Supreme Court rightly interpreted the law, as well as our Alabama Constitution, IVF clients are parents, and their embryos are their children. Parents have rights to their children.
Eagle Forum of Alabama is confident that the Alabama Legislature will avoid hasty or ill-informed legislation that may be in direct violation of our constitution as well as the clear definition of human life. Life begins at conception, not implantation. There can be no "exceptions" to humanity. We encourage the Alabama Legislature to consider the examples given in Chief Justice Parker's special concurrence, where he cites the successful regulation of IVF in many other Westernized countries such as those in the EU, Australia and New Zealand. They point to practices which enable IVF to prosper while drastically reducing the chances of embryos being killed, whether in the creation process, the implantation process, the freezing process, or by willful killing when they become inconvenient. We pray that our legislators will choose wisely and set a standard for others to follow in the United States.
Eagle Forum of Alabama will continue tirelessly to uphold the family and the value of human life. This commitment is based upon the unwavering faith we have in a loving and merciful God, in whose image we are all created and who said, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” as the Chief Justice pointed out. Being an image bearer has no exception clause. IVF parents and their children deserve our utmost compassion, support, and guidance so that clinics will continue to serve families and all children are protected. This is the better way – indeed, the only way under the laws of God and our state.
Jeff Poor is the editor in chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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