Should your tax dollars pay for IVF?

There are plenty of stories of infertile couples spending enormous amounts of time, money, physical and emotional energy trying to conceive a baby through In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Currently only two provinces publicly fund IVF. Ontario funds IVF for infertility due to blocked fallopian tubes and has done so since 1993 (following the report of the Royal Commission on New Reproductive Technologies). More recently, since August 2010, Québec funds IVF for all residents irrespective of the reason for accessing the technology. Canadian organizations such as the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada and Generations of Hope are currently lobbying provincial governments across Canada to follow Québec's lead and urging individuals to show their support. These organizations claim that publicly funded IVF will result in fewer multiple births (as has been the case in Québec) and will result in long-term savings to the health care system. (As yet there are no published figures to support this claim.) A Café on public funding of IVF is timely given that the Québec government is now undertaking the first review of its funding practice. This review includes a public consultation and thus not surprisingly we are witnessing a resurgence of public debate and discussion about funding priorities. We anticipate that by the time we hold the Café, Québec's review will be available. This Café will examine ethical, social and financial implications of publicly funded IVF. Questions to be discussed at the Café include: Is there evidence to support the claim that publicly funded IVF would result in fewer multiple births, resulting in savings to the healthcare system in the long-term? What is the best means to bring about good medical practice in IVF? Would taxpayer dollars be better spent on more essential health care services?