This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Scottish government extends IVF cycles eligible for funding
The Scottish government has announced that from 1 April, new patients under 40 referred for IVF treatment on the NHS in Scotland will be eligible for three full cycles rather than two.
The change was recommended by the National Infertility Group in its report to ministers last year, and was announced by Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell at the Assisted Conception Centre in Edinburgh.
Campbell said: “Scotland continues to lead the way in the provision of NHS IVF treatment and I’m really pleased that we’re ready to implement the second main recommendation from the National Infertility Group.
“For couples struggling to conceive it can be a very difficult time and IVF can provide an opportunity to help them have that longed-for baby.
“We want to make access to treatment on the NHS as fair as possible - giving more people the opportunity to conceive. Over the last five years we have invested around £24 million to reduce IVF waiting times and improve the outcomes for couples.
“These changes make NHS IVF access in Scotland by far the fairest and most generous in the UK.”
In an interview with the BBC, Susan Seenan, the chief executive of the charity Fertility Network, welcomed the news: "The reason for offering three cycles of treatment is because that's the most cost and clinically-effective number of treatments to offer patients.
"They [the Scottish government] have been very supportive over the last few years working with us on this. And it's tremendous news for patients that they've decided to opt to introduce the third cycle from the 1 April and give patients in Scotland the best access across the UK."
Sean added: ”The NHS is not here just for life-threatening or life-changing conditions. The NHS is here to treat people who have a medical condition, a medical need, and if there's an effective treatment to offer them then that's what they should be able to access. And that's what the government has recognised.
"Many people are not in a position to pay [for IVF] themselves. Some people can afford to pay, but some people can only afford to pay for one cycle. Some can perhaps not even afford to pay for that one cycle.
"The government is very supportive of this as a medical need and what they're doing here is making sure that it is fair and it is equitable for everyone across Scotland and that's to be applauded."
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