Australia opens first public egg and sperm bank

Australia's first ever public egg and sperm bank has opened in Victoria, and aims to recruit donors for patients eligible for publicly funded fertility treatment.

The egg and sperm bank is part of a clinic that opened in October 2022, which is part of a larger $120 million initiative, aimed at making fertility treatments, including IVF, more accessible. It opened on 2 July 2023 and is now accepting altruistic donations, as it is illegal in Australia to be paid for gamete donation. The initiative includes the introduction of satellite fertility services throughout the state.

Premier Daniel Andrews said, 'Helping someone start their family is one of the most generous gifts you could give someone, and our new public egg and sperm bank will help even more Victorians, do just that'.

Potential donors will need to meet a number of requirements in order to donate. This includes counselling to ensure they understand the implications associated with donation, as anonymous donation is illegal in Australia.

The service will help those who need fertility treatment due to genetic conditions, previous cancer treatment, inability to conceive naturally, LGBTQI+ people and same-sex couples, and individuals hoping to parent on their own. A referral will be needed by the patients GP or specialist to access fertility treatment and eggs or sperm.

The initiative will help up to 5000 Victorians and they may save up to $10,000, according to the press release. 'For too long IVF was out of reach for so many people – that's why we're removing cost as a barrier for thousands of Victorians every year' said acting minister for health Gabrielle Williams.

A Progress Educational Trust survey published last year looking at public opinion on fertility services in the UK found 67 percent of respondents supported access to fertility treatments via the NHS, but this figure was lower for same-sex or transgender intended parents (see BioNews 1148).

Previous research has highlighted not only are donor numbers lower than demand but that the multi-stage process can lead to low numbers of applicants becoming donors (see BioNews 1174). Recently, Croatia announced it would import gametes to fulfil demand in the country (see BioNews 1193).

However, ABC News reported Dr Devora Lieberman of the Sydney City Fertility Clinic calling the donation targets 'ambitious'. 'People have been trying to recruit sperm donors all across Australia for decades so I don't know why the Victorian government thinks its suddenly going to be more successful at it than people who have been trying to do it for decades'.