Melbourne IVF welcomes the Victorian Government’s removal of police checks for IVF patients

Melbourne IVF supports the Victorian Government’s decision to remove mandatory police and child protection orders for people undergoing assisted reproductive treatments (ART), under new reforms introduced to Parliament today.

Dr Lyndon Hale, Medical Director at Melbourne IVF said this change will create an immediate positive impact.

“Melbourne IVF welcomes these changes and congratulates the Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos,” said Dr Hale.

“We believe that everyone should be treated equally and imposing conditions on people who need the help of ART in order for them to have a baby was unfair, particularly when couples who conceive naturally were exempt from these checks.

“The checks were unnecessary, generated extra cost and we know from caring for our patients that they created additional stress.

“In some cases, the lengthy delays waiting for the mandatory criminal record check could be life threatening. Cancer patients needing urgent fertility preservation treatments such as egg and sperm freezing, prior to having chemotherapy were also required to undergo the police checks.

“These legislative changes, part of the Victorian Government’s independent review of assisted reproductive treatment, are caring and a positive step forward to allowing equal access to reproductive assistance,” said Dr Hale.

Back in 2000 one of the founders of Melbourne IVF, Professor John McBain, successfully challenged Victorian legislation that limited IVF to married women, resulting in a landmark victory, allowing access to infertility treatment including IVF to single women, de facto couples and women in same sex relationships.

Dr Hale said we are delighted that there is no longer unfair discrimination of individuals / couples accessing IVF with mandatory police and child protection checks.

“Melbourne IVF has a long standing commitment to helping people grow their families, we consider it time for equality for people who need help building their families,” said Dr Hale