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Dr Mary McCaffrey of Scotia Clinic.
DR Mary Mc Caffrey, of the Scotia Clinic, has warmly welcomed Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly’s announcement that fully publicly funded assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatment will commence in September.
This long-awaited programme will entitle eligible patients to one full cycle of IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) or ICSI (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatment, initially provided in HSE-approved private clinics of their choice ahead of the opening next year of the first public National Advanced AHR Centre.
Dr Mc Caffrey explained; “this is a fantastic first step, we fully recognise that IVF is a significant cost for all couples, and for some sadly this cost has been a barrier for them in being able to access treatment, so we are confident this new programme will make an impactful difference.”
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There are eligibility criteria which will set out guidelines with respect to the age of the intending parents, the female patients body mass index, the number of existing children and the number of previous IVF cycles accessed.
Patients with known clinical causes of infertility and patients where there is no known clinical cause will be eligible for treatment.
Given the complexity of fertility services this programme is being commenced on a structured and phased basis. For instance, treatment involving the use of donated gametes (sperm and eggs) will not be available in September for heterosexual or same-sex couples or single female patients. This treatment will become available as soon as possible.
Dr Mc Caffrey outlined; “Couples about to embark on this new IVF pathway have time to do everything to give themselves the best chance of success. We will work with them, to make that possible.”
“This Model of Care for Fertility will take the approach that the patient will present to their primary health care provider or specialist and from there they will be referred to their local Regional Fertility Hub, which provides a range of treatments and interventions for both males and females. Then where necessary, tertiary care (that is, IVF (in-vitro fertilisation), ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and IUI (Intrauterine insemination), with patients being referred onwards through structured pathways.”
“This programme is a much hoped for development for couples or individuals in Ireland who are seeking fertility assistance and up until now have had to cover all financial costs of the treatment themselves. We are hopeful that this programme is the first of many to be rolled out over the coming years.”
