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Free IVF for gays and over-40s is nonsensical waste

Giving free IVF to same-sex couples and to women over 40 is a "nonsensical waste", says SPUC. SPUC was responding to newspaper reports regarding the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on fertility. Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications manager, commented: "Same-sex couples, career-women who consciously delayed childbearing, and women who chose to remain single, chose a naturally non-fertile lifestyle. The money would be better spent on younger heterosexual couples with genuine fertility problems, and on the more successful, natural and ethical alternatives to IVF. [SPUC, 16 February]

Related stories - featuring videos of interviews with Anthony Ozimic:

• More IVF for gay couples and over-40s on the NHS [Telegraph, 16 February]
• Same-sex fertility: Depriving a child of mother and father is 'abuse', say pro-life campaigners [Telegraph, 16 February]
• More IVF For Gay Couples And Older Women [Sky, 16 February]

Education secretary challenged to be honest about gay marriage bill

SPUC has challenged Education Secretary Michael Gove to be honest that teachers will be in trouble if they claim that gay marriage is not real or true or valid marriage. SPUC, which argues that the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill will undermine the pro-life institution of real (i.e. heterosexual) marriage, was responding to Mr Gove's answers to the Commons committee scrutinising the bill. [SPUC, 12 February]

SPUC thanks Pope for linking protecting life with defending marriage

SPUC has thanked His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for linking the protection of human life with the defence of marriage. SPUC was responding to the announcement that Pope Benedict is abdicating the papal throne due to infirmity. John Smeaton, SPUC's director, commented: “On behalf of SPUC, I wish to express our gratitude to Pope Benedict for the many times in which he linked the protection of human life with defending the family based on authentic marriage and with the proper use of sexuality. Pope Benedict’s statements were wake-up calls to the whole pro-life movement to campaign against same-sex marriage and similar threats to the life-giving meaning of sexuality.” [SPUC, 11 February]

Other stories:

Abortion

• Mother advised to have abortion returns home with smiling baby [Telegraph, 15 February]

Euthanasia

• Public invited to give views on Liverpool Care Pathway [Nursing Times, 18 February]
• MSPs consider opt-out bid for organ donation [Evening Times, 18 February]
• The RCGP Council should reject Clare Gerada’s attempt to push it neutral on assisted suicide and euthanasia [Peter Saunders, 15 February]
• France moves one step closer to legalising euthanasia [Telegraph, 14 February]
• "Has Liverpool Care Pathway become a licence to kill?" asks professor in care of the elderly [John Smeaton, 11 February]

Sexual ethics

• New study on homosexual parents tops all previous research [Anglican Mainstream, 17 February]
• Judge blocks sterilisation of Down's Syndrome woman [Telegraph, 16 February]
• Politicians frightened to admit fathers are vital, says top family lawyer [Mail, 15 February]
• Brendan O’Neill’s contribution to the House of Commons Committe on the same-sex marriage bill [Anglican Mainstream, 15 February]
• Tories hit with further Party losses over gay marriage [Christian Institute, 15 February]

To subscribe to SPUC's email information services, please visit www.spuc.org.uk/em-signup. The reliability of the news herein is dependent on that of the cited sources, which are paraphrased rather than quoted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the society. © Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, 2018