Downs Syndromes Child’s Father Pleas For End to Genetic Screening

An open letter to all Members of Parliament

Genetic screening and killing of unborn children in New Zealand
I am writing to ask that Members of Parliament lobby the Minister of Health to cease the screening and promotion of the killing of unborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome.
The Government’s antenatal Down syndrome screening programme promotes abortion based on genetic make-up. The Ministry of Health’s National Screening Unit (NSU) has recently introduced “quality improvement initiatives” to bring their screening programme up to international “best practice”. International “best practice” results in around 90% of unborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome being killed. Such practices are eugenic, as they move towards eradicating an entire group of human beings based on their genetic make-up. This is a serious breach of human rights. The Minister of Health has recently refused to act on this issue. I have briefly overviewed the issue in more detail below.

Antenatal screening for Down syndrome has operated in New Zealand since 1968. It has been introduced with no public debate or Parliamentary direction. In 2008 there were 62 abortions performed where Down syndrome was noted as present. This compares with around 90 births per year. In 2006 the NSU identified concern that the programme “failed to reduce the numbers of babies born with undiagnosed Trisomy 21” (Down syndrome). In 2007 the NSU recommended “To encourage wider societal debate, the Government should consider carrying out public consultation to determine the public’s views on whether or not there should be an antenatal Down syndrome screening programme.” At that time, the Minister of Health decided there would be a project to improve the quality of the antenatal screening for Down syndrome and no public consultation was carried out. At no time has any individual with Down syndrome ever been consulted on this programme.
The presence of such a programme is fundamentally flawed as it predisposes that Down syndrome is undesirable and warrants the killing of an unborn child. A diagnosis of Down syndrome is not a sufficient reason to justify the termination of an unborn child and denies their right to life. The practice should stop.
The programme also appears to promote illegal activities. In New Zealand abortions are excused for rare and serious reasons. In relation to foetal abnormalities, The Crimes Act states that an abortion may be authorised where “there is a substantial risk that the child, if born, would be so physically or mentally abnormal as to be seriously handicapped”. Down syndrome is not a serious handicap. It is internationally recognised as a mild to moderate developmental delay. It would not appear to be the intention under New Zealand law to promote and allow terminations of unborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome, this would be eugenics.
History teaches us a lesson about eugenics. In 1939 Hitler authorised a "euthanasia" program to rid Germany of all those people classified as "unworthy to live". This classification initially covered disabled children. The first to be murdered under the T-4 program were
babies and children, including those with Down syndrome. Are we now prepared as a society to promote and achieve the same outcomes through abortion just because we have the technology to detect a third 21st chromosome and Down syndrome is an easy target?
A diagnosis of Down syndrome does not enable precise prediction of quality of life. Some babies will have health and developmental challenges and many will not, this is largely related to the lifestyle and environment of the individual. People with Down syndrome make joyful contributions to families and communities and form loving and caring relationships. They are very rarely antisocial, violent or criminal. People with Down syndrome do not consider their condition a source of suffering. The quality of life for people with Down syndrome reflects the support and unconditional love from their families and society’s behaviour towards them.
To summarise, I am asking that Members of Parliament lobby the Minister of Health to cease the screening and promotion of the killing of unborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome. I also encourage wider political and public debate on this issue.
I would welcome your views on this important issue and details of what action you will take in response to my letter.
Yours Sincerely
Mike Sullivan
Father and Self advocate

Mike Sullivan
4 Johnson Street Onerahi
Whangarei 0110