Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/702141
JURGEN BALZAN EARLY marriage, forced mar- riage, lowering the age of con- sent and the morning-after pill will be among the issues dis- cussed in Parliament over the coming weeks and months. The family affairs committee, chaired by government whip Godfrey Farrugia, is set to place the subjects on its agenda fol- lowing parliament's summer recess. Speaking to MaltaToday, Far- rugia said: "if I had to choose the next item to be forwarded to the agenda of the Family Affairs Committee I would be in favour of discussing early marriage and forced marriage. I will be dis- cussing this item with the Com- mittee, as from next October." The Whip also said that throughout summer the health, family and social affairs com- mittees will be discussing the morning-after pill, which for the past few weeks has divided the country. Farrugia chairs an inter-min- isterial committee on lowering the age of sexual consent. A re- port on lowering the age of con- sent from 18 to 16 will be pre- sented in October: Malta is the only European country where the age of consent is so high. MIRIAM DALLI AN attempt to import the emer- gency contraceptive Levonelle in 2006 was blocked by the bioethics committee, a consultative com- mittee of scientists, priests and other political appointees, despite the go-ahead of the Medicines Authority, the pharmaceuticals regulator. Prof. Anthony Serracino In- glott, today head of the Medi- cines Authority, told MaltaToday in an interview that the regulator had approved the contraceptive for retail in Malta after having analysed the quality, efficacy and safety of the medicinal. "The authority's advice was passed on to the superintendent for public health. The latter was subsequently told by the bioeth- ics committee that Levonelle could be considered as an 'aborti- facient'," a drug causing abortion. Serracino Inglott said the bio- ethics committee had reached its conclusion based on the pill's description that it could affect or interfere with implantation of the egg in the womb. Newspaper post PAGE 4 SUNDAY • 10 JULY 2016 • ISSUE 870 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY SUNDAY • SUNDAY • 10 JULY 2016 • ISSUE 870 10 JULY 2016 • ISSUE 870 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday PAGE 3 YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT INTERVIEW Exams? Get stuffed! Bioethics committee blocked morning-after pill in 2006 Doctors prescribe Esyma, which retails at €237 a box, to achieve the same results of an emergency contraceptive by administering six pills Whip proposes debate on early and forced marriages SPECIAL REPORT Making hay while the sun shines... MALTATODAY SURVEY IS MALTA'S ENGLAND-ITALY RIVALRY STILL ALIVE? WE REVEAL WHO IS SUPPORTING WHOM IN EURO 2016 PAGE 11 Bioethics committee blocked Hypocrisy? The legal alternative Get stuffed! SPECIAL SPECIAL REPORT the sun shines... 14 15 16 16 16 17 €1.40 Property bubble? What bubble, Sandro Chetcuti says JOSANNE CASSAR 23 Educational experts tell us why Malta's fixation with exams could be... useless for children Your indelible print is all over cyberspace... are you sure you want to post that on Facebook? Final countdown: The three-time world footballer of the year Cristiano Ronaldo will look to add to his three goals scored so far to lead Portugal to their first international title in the Euro 2016 showdown against France