The debate over in vitro fertilization (IVF) access has taken a new turn with the latest executive order from the Trump administration, which seeks to expand IVF options and reduce costs.

The order has been met with strong opposition from two prominent U.S. bishops.

Bishops’ Strong Disagreement with IVF Expansion

Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, and Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, have spoken out against the new executive order.

Both are leading voices within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), with Bishop Thomas heading the pro-life committee and Bishop Barron leading the committee for laity, marriage, family life, and youth.

In a joint statement, the bishops voiced concern over the implications of the order.

“As pastors,” they said, “we see the suffering of so many couples experiencing infertility and know their deep desire to have children is both good and admirable; yet the administration’s push for IVF, which ends countless human lives and treats persons like property, cannot be the answer.”

The Controversial Order’s Impact on IVF Access

The executive order directs White House advisors to come up with policies that would safeguard access to IVF and potentially reduce the financial burden on families seeking treatment.

However, the bishops have made it clear that they oppose the order, calling out the IVF industry for what they view as the commodification of human life.

They stated that the IVF process involves freezing or even destroying embryos, many of which never have the chance to be transferred or survive.

The bishops called the order a “fatal flaw” that contrasts sharply with other pro-life actions taken by the administration just weeks prior.

The Bishops’ Call for More Humane Alternatives

The bishops also took the opportunity to remind the public that all human beings have “infinite dignity and worth” regardless of how they were conceived.

They emphasized that children born through IVF should not be viewed as having less dignity than those born through natural means.

Instead, the bishops urged that society should focus on offering more humane solutions for those facing infertility.

The bishops concluded by urging a shift in focus from promoting IVF to finding more compassionate ways to address infertility that respect human life from conception to birth.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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