New IVF tests will add to expense
Filed under: IVF — Alan @ 6:06 am
Soon couples who undergo IVF may be facing stiffer bills after European regulators declared that between treatment cycles couples should be screened for diseases.
Although British doctors stated that it is highly unlikely that new infections such as syphilis or HIV would appear between cycles if they were not caught at the initial screening before treatment, regulators still want the additional safety precaution.
Thus, couples possibly may need tested for sexually transmitted diseases every month or two, which will add to the expense of IVF treatment, which commonly takes several cycles before it is successful.
Chairman of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Dr. Luca Gianaroli, wrote to members of the group urging them to speak up about the EU’s commission, stating that over the last 30 years of IVF treatment not one case has been reported where a disease was transmitted under the current guidelines for testing.
Dr. Gianaroli also addressed the fact that if all patients must be tested at the beginning of each new treatment there will need to be a major overhaul in terms of how resources are allocated.
The head of the Department of Women’s Health at King’s College London, Professor Peter Braude, seconded Dr. Gianaroli’s call to action, when he stated that if clinics are forced to implement testing every cycle the cost of fertility treatment will rise substantially.
He also commented that fertility clinics already adhere to the EU rule that men be tested every year despite being a part of a committed couple.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.