Watch: Proposed Amendment Would Require Patient Consent Before Doctors Report Abortions
Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that medical professionals will soon be legally protected if they choose not to report individuals who seek help after an abortion.
Speaking ahead of a proposed amendment to the Professional Secrecy Act, Abela said the law will be revised to ensure that abortions can only be reported with the patient’s consent.
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The announcement follows a controversial case in which a woman received a 22-month suspended prison sentence after being reported to police by a medical professional for an abortion.
Abela noted that this was the first case in Malta where a woman was sentenced for having an abortion.
He warned that such cases risk pushing women away from seeking life-saving medical care.
While he stressed that this move does not amount to decriminalisation, Abela said the proposed changes aim to protect confidentiality and prevent potential fatalities caused by fear of prosecution.
The amendment will clarify that medical experts are not obliged to breach their duty of confidentiality when treating individuals who have undergone an abortion and need medical assistance.
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