Coronavirus, Federlab appeals to the Government and regional presidents: 'An end to the lockdown of PMA (Medically Assisted Procreation) centers'

“We launch an appeal to the government, to the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza and to all the presidents of the Regions: put an end to the lockdown of PMA (Medically Assisted Procreation) centers”. This is what Gennaro Lamberti and Alfonso Maria Irollo, respectively president and representative of the PMA clinics of Federlab Italia, among the main trade associations of clinical analysis laboratories and private polyclinics accredited with the National Health Service, ask in a note. “In Italy, the country in Europe with the largest reduction in births and with the 'oldest' population trying for their first child, more than 30% of couples are affected by sterility” explains Lamberti.

Well, he continues: “in the last period, we have rightly given voice to the economic difficulties that our production system is struggling with, but we have completely forgotten about PMA centers despite the fact that treatment against sterility is a right for those affected, provided for by the Constitution, clarified by the Law”. “The disinterest of politics and the blocking of treatments due to the coronavirus is causing” for Lamberti “irreversible biological damage for many couples”. For this reason, it is the bitter complaint of the gynecologist Alfonso Maria Irollo “we cannot and must not forget about sterile couples and the operators of a sector that risks being crushed forever under the blows of the crisis”. With the lockdown of the facilities, the representative of the PMA centers of Federlab continues: “Many risk seeing the possibility of having a child vanish forever”. Hence the final appeal to the Government and Regions “to intervene immediately, remembering that the opening of PMA centers is not like that of a normal commercial business. In short, it is not enough to raise the shutters to resume service but a period of time ranging from 1 to 3 months after the opening is needed before being able to actually restart”.