Medical and dental practice law amendments under review

TDT | Manama

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The Services Committee of the Shura Council continued deliberations on the proposed amendments to certain provisions of Decree Law No. (7) of 1989 concerning the practice of human medicine and dentistry.

The proposed amendments, submitted by Their Excellencies Lina Habib Qasim, Dr. Jihad Abdullah Al-Fadhel, Dalal Jassim Al-Zayed, Dr. Jamila Mohammed Redha Al-Salman, and Dr. Ahmed Salem AlArayedh, aim to modernise the legal framework governing abortion cases.

The revisions seek to align the law with Islamic Sharia, contemporary medical practices, and recent scientific and technological advances in the early diagnosis of fetal diseases and malformations.

Legislation

Officials noted that the current legislation is no longer sufficient to address emerging medical scenarios encountered by doctors and pregnant women.

During the session, the committee - chaired by Dr. Jamila Mohammed Redha Al Salman - examined the proposed provisions allowing abortion in cases where the fetus is determined to be nonviable, provided this is supported by medical reports validated by a specialized committee.

The measure is intended to alleviate suffering and prevent childbirth under conditions that could cause significant physical or psychological harm to the family.

The committee also reviewed the principles underlying the draft law, emphasizing the strict controls and procedures designed to ensure that permissible abortions are limited to clearly defined cases.

These safeguards are intended to prevent misuse and guarantee that the procedure is only carried out when medically necessary, as documented and approved by competent authorities.