THE Irish Medical Organisation's rejection of pre natal genetic tests will have no effect on the provision of such tests by the Rotunda hospital, according to its master Dr Peter McKenna.
The IMO passed a resolution at the weekend rejecting "pre natal genetic testing for non treatable disorders or gender selection", adding: "Such tests discriminate against and constitute a threat to the life of the unborn patient."
The motion is understood to refer, in particular, to amniocentesis, a procedure which involves taking a sample of amniotic fluid from around the foetus at between 12 and 16 weeks gestation. This can show the presence of foetal abnormalities like spina bifida and Down's syndrome.
The procedure became available in Dublin's Rotunda hospital last year, having been in use in Northern Ireland for many years.
He said the Rotunda would note the IMO resolution. "I would have preferred on a matter such as this that they said this service was long overdue. But the fact that they disapprove of it will not stop it developing," he said.
Responding to the argument that it opened the door to the abortion of handicapped foetuses, he said: "You could just as well say that you should not do a pregnancy test because some people may go off and have an abortion."
Those proposing the motion at the IMO conference had cited the increased risk of miscarriage as result of amniocentesis. Dr McKenna said people were informed of this. However, some of the increased risk - one in 100 - was probably because those taking the test, due to age or family history, already carried a higher risk of miscarriage than average.
In the eight months since the Rotunda started offering amniocentesis about 100 people had inquired about it, of which more than half went on to have it, he said.
The newly elected IMO president, Mr Hugh Bredin, said the motion now represented IMO policy, and as such he would have to act on it.
He did not know what this would mean in detail and would be consulting his colleagues about this. He expected they would be informing the Medical Council of the policy.
Policy was not binding on IMO members, he said, though it would defend members asked to carry out procedures which conflicted with their consciences. The body which decides on ethical issues for doctors is the Medical Council, whose guidelines do not have anything specific to say about amniocentesis.
The IMO motion was proposed by Dr Conall Mac Cuinneagain and Dr Janina Lyons.