The government in Victoria, Australia has reinstated fertility treatment services 'paused' due to COVID-19 in the state at the beginning of January.
The change follows prominent complaints from affected patients, politicians and a petition that obtained over 140,000 signatures. Both the premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews and the state's acting minister for health James Merlino have apologised for any 'distress' caused by the disruption. The initial three month 'pause' was part of a pause on non-urgent elective surgery in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia from 6 January 2022 as part of a group of measures brought in to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 there.
Andrews said on 20 January, two days after a state of emergency was declared: 'I am very pleased that the public health team, the chief health officer has reviewed his advice and the minister has accepted that and will be able to make a new decision under the new act to reinstate IVF services. That will take a couple of days […] I apologise for any distress, for any concern.'
His sentiments were echoed by Merlino who said: 'IVF is a challenging journey for anyone to go through, let alone in the midst of a global pandemic, and we're deeply sorry for the distress caused by the affected services in recent weeks.'
Changes meant that while people who had already started an IVF treatment cycle could continue with them after 6 January, new cycles could not be initiated for a period of three months.
The decision by the Victorian government to include IVF among the procedures to be paused received significant backlash across the country, drawing criticism from fertility experts and politicians alike. In an interview with television programme The Project on 18 January following a video that went viral, campaigner and patient Melanie Swieconek, 45, pointed out that women aged 46 and over are no longer eligible for IVF treatment, highlighting the severity of a three-month delay to IVF treatments for women in that age range.
Much of the outrage surrounding the state government's decision focused on the definition of IVF as an 'elective' treatment. Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, has since given his thoughts on the debate, stressing that he disagrees with the classification of IVF as an elective treatment.
He said decisions about health services availability during the pandemic were up to state governments but added: 'But earlier on in the pandemic at national cabinet we said that IVF treatments were not elective procedures and should continue and I believe that should be done wherever possible and that should be such a last resort measure.'
The term 'elective treatment' means care that can be planned and the term is intended to differentiate it from urgent treatment. Elective care systems have come under significant pressure globally since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption to fertility treatment has been common (see BioNews 1046).
Sources and References
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Andrews apologises for ban, reinstates Victorian IVF services
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Heartbroken woman explains why she made gut-wrenching viral video after IVF was cancelled due to surging COVID hospitalisations - as Dan Andrews is slammed over 'cruel' policy
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IVF to resume in Victoria in MAJOR backflip by Daniel Andrews' government after massive outcry
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Daniel Andrews says he hopes to announce the return of IVF day procedures 'very soon' following outrage over ban
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IVF is not a choice': Victoria’s elective surgery restrictions cause heartache for patients
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