Interestingly, in the 1970s some of the same terms had been used without stirring controversy, such as the term ‘responsible parenthood’. The fact that genetic buy VX-809 counselling was placed more explicitly under the heading of prevention policy, as well as raised awareness due to the documentary series, may explain the difference

in response (van El et al. 2007, 2010a,b). In addition, the suggested aim of genetic counselling to reduce morbidity and mortality raised criticism. In genetic counselling, it is essential that patients be adequately informed so they can choose for themselves (informed decision making) whether Apoptosis inhibitor or not to test and consider aborting an affected foetus in accordance with their own values and personal circumstances. Although reduction of the number of children born with a handicap may be an effect of genetic counselling, it is clearly not its aim, as was argued by an ethicist and secretary of the Health Council (De Wert and Engel 1988). Unintentionally, the impression had been raised that the government wanted to use genetic services to improve public health and reduce the costs of health care through preventive abortion of foetuses with severe handicaps.

Members of Parliament and journalists wondered whether the government might be considering eugenic policies, and were concerned that people should still have the right not to be tested (Reformatorisch Dagblad CH5183284 in vitro 1988). In May 1988, the Minister and State Secretary Teicoplanin of Health reassured the members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health that there was no need to be concerned about the government’s policy on prenatal testing and the position of handicapped

people in Dutch society. The birth of a handicapped child would never be regarded as a case of failed prevention (Parliamentary documentation 1987–1988b). The arguments in the public debate show that it was deemed problematic to subsume prenatal testing or screening and abortion under the heading of a prevention policy. A more careful policy was suggested to accommodate the specific sensitivities and requirements for various kinds of screening (Parliamentary documentation 1987–1988c). As a consequence of these discussions in governmental documents, more attention was given to terminology. Ethicists at the Ministry of Health became more closely involved in preparing policy documents. Prenatal screening In the beginning of the 1980s, the Health Council of the Netherlands was asked to report on the possibilities for prenatal screening. Screening tests had become available to measure the level of alpha foetoprotein in maternal blood as an estimate of the risk of the foetus having a neural tube defect. By the end of 1988, the Health Council of the Netherlands (1988) published a report advising the government to start a pilot programme for serum screening. However, the advice was not unanimous.