- Over 1,200 couples referred for publicly-funded Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) treatment since it was introduced.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly is today marking the one-year anniversary of the introduction of publicly-funded AHR treatment. The initiative has proven to be very successful to date, with approximately 150 couples each month now being referred through the Health
Service Executive’s (HSE’s) Regional Fertility Hubs for publicly-funded treatment.
Thousand of other patients have had their fertility-related issues resolved through the six Regional Fertility Hubs, in line with the Model of Care for Fertility, in order to ensure that issues are addressed at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary.
Minister Donnelly said:
“In just one year since the introduction of publicly-funded AHR in Ireland, we have been able to help over 1,200 couples to get referrals to private clinics. The feedback from the HSE, individuals availing of the service and the private providers has been immensely positive.
“For so many couples who face the very difficult emotional and physical challenges infertility issues, publicly-funded treatment has removed the cost barrier, and given them hope of becoming parents. This service offers a comprehensive package of care including the individualisationof care packages for treating infertility issues at all levels. We are awareof reports of pregnancies, and in fact the first births resulting from publicly funded AHR treatment and I would like to warmly congratulate all those parents.
I am committed to expanding AHR provision where appropriate. It was reasonable to allow the service to be operational for a period of time before considering any revisions to existing criteria. Now that the service has been in operation for a year, we can look at this in an informed way and determine what scope there may be for expansion of the service. I have asked my officials in the Department to consider this.The Government is also committed to providing a publicly provided fertility service, with the first public National AHR Centre scheduled to open in Cork next year.”
