varoblog

(sz) Most U.S. adults favor birth control, in-vitro fertilization, erectile-dysfunction drugs and weight-loss programs paid via health insurance, finds a survey.
However, support for coverage diminishes for treatments that primarily affect people’s personal appearance, such as drugs to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, plastic surgery to help people look younger and growth hormones to help children grow taller, according to the survey by Harris Interactive for The Wall Street Journal Online’s health-industry edition.
Eighty-one percent support the health insurance covering medical treatments such as birth-control pills, 63 percent support coverage for in-vitro fertilization, 65 percent favor coverage of drugs that improve memory, 59 percent support coverage for weight-loss drugs and 50 percent support coverage for drugs to treat erectile or other sexual dysfunction. more…

From: »UPI – United Press Internantional«

(sz) Infertility clinics in areas of the country with large gay populations are actively promoting biological parenthood for gay men and lesbians, hoping to expand the market for reproductive technologies once aimed almost exclusively at infertile heterosexuals.
The methods can be expensive and fraught with difficulties, and the families that result may or may not be legally recognized – or even socially accepted – in less gay-friendly places.
Despite the risks, biological parenthood is increasingly seen in gay communities as an attractive alternative to adopting – or remaining childless.
“For some people, having a biological connection to their children is important,” said Judy Appell, a lesbian parent of two and executive director of Our Family Coalition, a San Francisco gay-parenthood group. “More doors are opening to us through medical advancements, so more and more people are willing to try new ways to create our families.”
Options range from simple intrauterine insemination for women, which may cost a few hundred dollars, to use of paid egg donors and gestational surrogates for gay men, who may have to pay $150,000 in medical and legal services to have a child. more…
From: »ScribbsNews« (San Francisco Chronicle)

(sz) A medical ethics panel acting for a group of infertility clinics has approved the use of eggs donated by a patient’s friend or sister for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The panel authorized the controversial treatment plans at two clinics in late March. Should the plans go ahead, the clinics would be the first in Japan to carry out the treatment under specified procedures.
The Japanese Institution for Standardizing Assisted Reproductive Technology (JISART), which represents 20 infertility clinics, created the panel to consider ethically complex issues. The institution is expected to make a formal decision on the issue at a June board meeting.
The panel’s decision, which runs counter to a health ministry panel report that recommended use of only eggs from anonymous donors in IVF treatment, is certain to draw heavy criticism.
The member clinics of JISART, which was founded four years ago, carry out nearly half of all test-tube fertilization cases in Japan. more…

From: »asahi.com« (English edition)

(sz) The Government is yet to formulate laws governing In-Vitro Fertilisation, a year after it announced plans to commence the process.
A taskforce established in May last year by the Director of Medical Services, Dr James Nyikal, is yet to report its progress.
The taskforce was expected to address issues of eligibility of women for the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), ownership of the embryo, parentage in case of surrogate mothers, separation of procreation from sexual union, treatment costs, risk of genetic manipulation and commercialisation of embryos.
After the breakthrough by Dr Joshua Noreh, which saw the first Kenyan test tube baby delivered, there was outrage in religious circles and humanitarian groups on the need to regulate the IVF technology. more…

From: »allAfrica.com« (The East African Standard)

(sz) The Federal Government will pay about $4 million in annual subsidies for a procedure used in in vitro fertilisation attempts when the man has a low sperm count - a move that overturns longstanding resistance to funding the technique.
Couples will receive a $380 rebate each time they undergo the intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection - or ICSI - procedure, after an amendment was quietly added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Until now, couples have had to bear the full price - about $500.
As well, the procedure has not counted towards the Medicare Safety Net, which guarantees higher rebates after families or individuals reach a specified threshold of out-of-pocket spending. The cost is in addition to the approximately $6000 cost of an IVF cycle, about half of which is paid by Medicare.
ICSI is used in more than half of all IVF attempts and results in a successful pregnancy in about one in four cases. It involves isolating a single, healthy sperm and injecting it directly into the egg, maximising the chance of fertilisation in cases where the man produces too few or poor-quality sperm.
The procedure was conducted 12,410 times in Australia and New Zealand in 2004, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - suggesting a Medicare bill of about $4 million in Australia. more…

From: »The Brisbane Times«

(wz) Greece intends to ban youngsters under the age of 18 from buying cigarettes or alcohol in a change of law that will also provide social security coverage for women who want to have in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, it was revealed yesterday.
The changes were announced by Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, who plans to submit a series of amendments over the next two weeks. Under the new law, shops or kiosks selling cigarettes and alcohol will have to display signs which inform customers that under-18s cannot buy these products. more…

From: »ekathimerini.com« (Greece)

(wz) Seine Geburt wurde für Zehntausende ungewollt kinderloser Frauen zum Hoffnungsschimmer: Nach jahrzehntelanger Forschung erblickte am 16. April 1982 in der Erlanger Frauenklinik das erste deutsche Retortenbaby das Licht der Welt. Erstmals war deutschen Ärzten eine künstliche Befruchtung außerhalb des weiblichen Körpers gelungen.
Am kommenden Montag feiert Oliver Wimmelbacher seinen 25. Geburtstag. Wie schon seine Mutter gibt auch er sich medienscheu. Interviews und Fotoaufnahmen lehnt der in seinem oberfränkischen Heimatort lebende Mann ab. In dem Dorf heißt es lediglich: “Der Oliver? Das ist inzwischen ein Brocken von Mann.”
Erlanger Ärzte forschten seit 60er Jahren an IvF
Mit den Forschungen hatten die Erlanger Mediziner bereits in den 60er Jahren begonnen. Tierversuche widerlegten bald Bedenken, die Befruchtung einer Eizelle in einem Reagenzglas könnte ein Risiko für das so gezeugte Kind darstellen. Den Durchbruch aber brachte die Geburt des weltweit ersten Retortenbabys, Louise Brown. Es kam vier Jahre vor Oliver in Oldham bei Manchester in England zur Welt.
Doch nicht nur die Geburt von Louise Brown, auch das erste deutsche Retortenbaby löste einen gewaltigen Medienrummel aus. Um genau 14.49 Uhr erblickte Oliver Wimmelbacher als 4150 Gramm schwerer Säugling nach einem Kaiserschnitt das Licht der Welt.
Oliver Wimmelbacher war weltweit das siebte Kind, das durch eine In-vitro-Fertilisation (IvF) gezeugt wurde. Vorausgegangen waren zwölf gescheiterte Versuche des Ärzteteams um Professor Siegfried Trotnow. Reporter belagerten vor Olivers Geburt die Klinik, manche versuchten, das Personal zu bestechen, um in die Geburtshilfestation vorzudringen. Zudem mussten sich die Erlanger Reproduktionsmediziner einer lebhaften Debatte darüber stellen, ob eine künstliche Befruchtung ethisch vertretbar sei. more…

From: »Ärzte-Zeitung« (Germany)

(sz) Advances in egg freezing have leapt from the lab to the public, particularly in the US where clinics are unregulated, to offer assisted reproduction using frozen eggs despite the long-term effects being little known, according to the journal Science. A news article evaluated the reliability and significance of fertility clinics offering egg freezing services, scientifically known as oocyte cryo-preservation.
The US company Extend Fertility, based in Massachusetts, targets its egg freezing services towards young women who wish to stall their biological clock. Its advertisement campaign is controversial both in regards to the unknown risks and effectiveness of egg freezing, and concerns over its sociological impact. Extend aims to provide a lifestyle choice rather than a medical need.
But supporters argue that egg freezing has a number of advantages over embryo storage. They believe it more fairly evens the gender gap, since men can healthily reproduce throughout most of their lives, whereas women have a narrower window of fertility and their most healthy fertile years are their twenties, when many are focussing on their education and career. more…

From: »ivf.net«

(sz) PANORAMA, the BBC’s flagship current affairs show, faces being sued for more than £1m by Britain’s richest doctor after a “biased and irresponsible” undercover investigation into his fertility clinics.
Mohamed Taranissi, a leading IVF expert who has helped mothers give birth to 2,300 babies in seven years, claims the programme made defamatory allegations about his techniques and has caused lasting damage to his professional reputation.
Last week Carter-Ruck, the libel lawyers, wrote to the BBC on behalf of Taranissi, signalling his intention to sue.
The doctor is seeking hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages, but the broadcaster will also have to foot his hefty legal costs if it loses the libel action. “We could be talking about an overall bill well in excess of £1m if the BBC decides to fight this all the way,” said an informed source.
Taranissi, 52, said: “If everybody presents me as the richest doctor [in Britain], earning all these millions, obviously anything that will come in compensation will have to match things like that.” more…
From: »The Times« (online)