ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES REVIEW

The Government has released the Report of Independent Review of Assisted Reproductive Technologies along with its response.

The report was produced by an independent committee chaired by Professor Ian Fraser, Professor of Reproductive Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Sydney.

The Government has accepted most recommendations. The key findings of the report were that:

· both clinicians and patients would benefit from national accreditation of ART practices, underpinned by evidence-based guidelines;
· patients should be better informed about the risks and benefits of different procedures, and that advertising by ART clinics should describe success rates in a simple and uniform manner; and,
· Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) should be publicly funded.

Although it has decided not to limit funding for ART by maternal age or the number of cycles, the Government strongly supports the use of evidence-based practice by clinicians in determining what services are provided. It is clear that some services do not have good success rates for all people. It is better that both patients and their doctors understand the risks and benefits of different treatments before deciding what to do.

The report also found that the Extended Medicare Safety Net has significantly improved the affordability of ART for Australian families.

The changes outlined in the Government’s response will ensure that affordable, safe and high quality ART services will continue to be available to Australian families and that clinicians are supported in delivering these services.

I would like to thank Professor Fraser and each of the committee members for their consideration of these issues.

The Report of Independent Review of Assisted Reproductive Technologies and the Australian Government’s response are available at: www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/Reproductive+Health

Media Contact: Claire Kimball, 0413 486 926

29 November 2006 ABB156/06