Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

715. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 164 and 165 of 19 May 2016, the indicative cost, based on other jurisdictions, of the public health system providing in vitro fertilisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13241/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There is significant variation between countries regarding the extent of public funding for Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) treatments. Moreover, there is great diversity in AHR funding and reimbursement policies and practice within Europe, for example, funding of a limited number of IVF cycles, to unrestricted reimbursement with co-payments and third-party reimbursement by private insurance companies. The cost of AHR treatment in Europe shows marked variability among countries, generally reflecting the costliness of the underlying healthcare system. There are direct costs such as medical consultations, ultrasound scanning, embryo transfer and hospital charges. While indirect costs are less well appreciated, they include caring for babies of multiple birth pregnancies (e.g. twins, triplets of which there is a higher incidence in AHR) who tend to have poorer clinical outcomes.

As outlined previously in my answer to Parliamentary Question Numbers 164 and 165 of 19 May 2016, the former Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, commissioned an evidence review of international public funding models, which will provide a comprehensive report of the existing evidence, thereby, enabling us to determine the most appropriate funding model for AHR in the State. This review is still ongoing and, therefore, I am not in a position to provide a more detailed response at this time.