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Advocacy for Infertility Treatment,
Assisted Reproductive Technology, and Keeping Infertility Treatment
Affordable
- Fertility Within Reach
is an organization advocating for the recognization of infertility
as a medical condition, and for its inclusion in health insurance
coverage. Currently, they trying to persuade the US Department of
Health and Human Services to consider infertility treatment as an
essential health benefit under Affordable Care Act. If infertility
is not included, states with mandated insurance coverage risk
losing their benefits. More information can be found at Fertility
Within Reach's website.
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Resolve, park of the National Infertility Association, has a comprehensive list of ways you can help advocate.
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The National Confernce of State Legislatures tracks
legislation affecting infertility treatment and embryo
disposition.
There is legislation that will
potentially impact the availability of certain forms of infertility
treatment and the availability of insurance
coverage.
- An Iowa House Subcommittee has advanced a bill,
HF 153, which would give constitutional rights to embryos. The bill
now goes to the Human Resources Committee, and then very likely to
the full GOP-controlled House, where it has a good chance of being
approved. ASRM and SART sent a joint letter today to the House
Speaker, Minority Leader and Chair and Ranking Member of the Human
Resources Committee firmly opposing the bill. ASRM’s Office
of Public Affairs will continue to monitor developments and will
work collaboratively with groups also opposing the bill with the
goal of defeating it in the Democratic-controlled Iowa
Senate.
February 15, 2011
Representative Kraig Paulsen
Speaker
Iowa House of Representatives
1305 Cress Parkway
Hiawatha, Iowa 52233
Dear Speaker Paulsen:
On behalf of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), we are
writing to express opposition to HF 153.
ASRM is a multidisciplinary organization of nearly 8,000 dedicated
to the advancement of the art, science, and practice of
reproductive medicine. Distinguished members of ASRM include
obstetricians and gynecologists, urologists, reproductive
endocrinologists, embryologists, mental health professionals and
others. SART is an organization of nearly 400 member practices
performing more than 95% of the assisted reproductive technology
(ART) cycles in the United States. SART’s mission is to set
and help maintain the highest medical and professional standards
for ART. SART works with the ASRM to create practice guidelines and
minimum standards of care. SART also serves as the governmental
watchdog for ART and is actively involved in the collection of data
outcomes from its member programs.
ASRM and SART strongly support the rights of patients to seek
necessary medical treatment for diseases of the reproductive system
and assistance in becoming pregnant. ASRM and SART also strongly
support the availability of contraception and family planning
services.
HF 153 not only threatens the reproductive rights of women, it also
thwarts the ability of those who suffer from infertility to seek
treatment appropriate for their disease. Because this bill gives
constitutional rights to embryos, it would unduly restrict an
infertile patient’s right to make decisions about embryos
created as part of the in vitro fertilization process. While
assisted reproductive technologies are employed to assist infertile
patients in their hope of achieving a successful pregnancy outcome,
embryos in excess of a patient’s clinic need may result. So
too, embryos may be created that are not chromosomally suited for
transfer to the patient’s uterus. While these embryos are
created for the purpose of the creation of a human being, it is a
biological fact that not all embryos will become human
beings.
Our position is that an embryo is neither a person, nor property,
but an entity deserving special respect. However, we believe that
the responsibility for determining what happens to an embryo lies
with the progenitors of the embryo. An embryo, in vitro or in vivo,
is a cluster of cells with a unique potential to grow into a
full-fledged individual. However, in human reproduction, even as
undertaken without medical assistance, fewer than 20% of fertilized
eggs implant in the uterus. Given the uncertainty that any
particular embryo will develop to become a person, it is
unreasonable and imbalanced to give constitutional rights to
fertilized eggs or embryos. HF 153 would result in a requirement
that all embryos be used for procreation purposes, or be kept in a
frozen state forever. We question whether it is the intent of the
authors of this bill to grant those frozen embryos the right to
vote upon reaching 18 years in frozen animation?
HF 153 was drafted and introduced without consultation from anyone
in the infertility community. We strongly urge you to oppose HF
153.
Sincerely,
Rogerio A. Lobo, MD
President, ASRM
R. Stan William, MD
President, SART
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