Refunds on IVF medication have been extended to prospective parents undergoing IVF in Malta, as well as prospective parents who have undergone IUI, IVF, or embryo transfer at private clinics as of January 1, 2023. This was announced by the Minister for Health and Active Ageing, Jo Etienne Abela.
The Assisted Reproduction Sector, known as IVF, has been regulated by the Embryo Protection Authority since 2013. It was explained that from then until today, a total of 601 babies have been born, and currently, there are 50 mothers expecting to give birth to another 55 babies.
Minister Abela explained how the government empathises with the sacrifices made by prospective parents undergoing IVF, which is why, since 2015, services have been offered free of charge at Mater Dei Hospital. These services continued to expand with amendments to the law enacted in 2018 and 2022.
The Minister stated that by the end of March 2024, the Embryo Protection Authority (EPA) approved over one million and twenty-eight thousand euros (€1,028,543.54) to be reimbursed to prospective parents for the medication expenses they incurred.
Minister Abela announced that following discussions with the competent regulator, the EPA, this refund will now also be extended to prospective parents undergoing IVF in licensed centres and not just at Mater Dei. Every prospective parent who undergoes IUI, IVF, or embryo transfer in private clinics until January 1, 2023, will also be eligible for this refund.
He explained that with this refund, a total of 285 prospective parents who have undergone 56 IUIs, 131 embryo transfers, and 98 IVF procedures until January 1, 2023, will benefit. The government will be reimbursing around two hundred fifty thousand euros in total. This will be in addition to the 634 prospective parents who have already benefited from the medication refund for services offered at Mater Dei until January 1, 2022.
“This is evidence of the investment the Government is making. We are committed to improving IVF services and being a support and assistance to Maltese and Gozitan families,” Minister Abela concluded.
Applications and original receipts for medication must be submitted to licensed centres and sent to the Embryo Protection Authority for processing the refund.
Statement by Opposition
The Nationalist Party issued a statement expressing satisfaction about what was announced by the Minister of Health regarding refunds on IVF medication, recalling that this was a proposal of the Nationalist Party while Parliament was discussing the IVF law.
Shadow Minister for Health Adrian Delia acknowledged the sacrifices made by prospective parents and therefore emphasized that the refund should also be extended to those undergoing the process in private clinics.
What Minister Abela announced contradicts the words of Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, who at the time, as Minister of Health, stated that this refund was already being provided. However, it has now emerged that Fearne’s criticism was not accurate, the Nationalist Party alleged in the statement.
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