Debate over IVF funding heats up in Polish parliament

A citizens’ initiative supported by half a million Poles regarding the return of a state-funded in vitro fertilisation (IVF) programme is dividing lawmakers despite the increasing problem caused by infertility.

The first session of the new parliamentary term in Warsaw on 22 November saw the introduction of a citizen bill advocating for the reinstatement of state funding for IVF, known as “YES to IVF”, and has gathered more than 500,000 signatures.

The Polish law allows a group of at least 100,000 Polish citizens to submit a draft piece of legislation to the Speaker of the the lower house of parlament.

“Infertility is a problem faced by 15-20% of people of procreative age. It can be estimated that it affects three million people in Poland,” Dr Grzegorz Mrugacz, medical director of one of the clinics providing insemination and IVF services, the Bocian Clinic, told Euractiv.

‘YES to IVF’, the most effective method of treating infertility

The first child born through the IVF program in Poland was in 1987, with a minimum of 100,000 such births since then, including over 22,000 between 2013 and 2016 under the government’s previous IVF programme.

However, after the Law and Justice Party (PiS) assumed power, it was replaced by the “Program for Comprehensive Protection of Procreative Health in Poland 2016-2020,” focusing on NaProTechnology – natural family planning methods approved by the Catholic Church, among others.

PiS allocated around €23 million for its program, and after almost three years, there was little in the way of results.

After the cessation of reimbursement in 2016, some local governments initiated IVF reimbursement programs. However, this led to social inequality, as residents in different regions had varying chances of receiving support.

But for many people, the cost of infertility treatment and in vitro fertilisation is beyond their means.

“The IVF procedure costs around €2,300-2,760, excluding expenses for medications, consultations, mandatory tests, and supplementary procedures,” said Dr Mrugacz.

The current bill proposes amending the law on healthcare services financed from public funds, mandating the health minister to develop, implement, execute, and fund a healthcare policy program for infertility treatment, including in vitro fertilisation, with an annual budget allocation of at least €115 million.

Heated debate in the Polish parliament

The subsequent five-hour parliamentary debate revealed fierce divisions rooted in concerns about the destruction of surplus embryos during the IVF process, viewed as unacceptable by those considering embryos as conceived life deserving protection.

Barbara Nowacka of the liberal Civic Coalition (KO) said the bill would help achieve “social justice” by making IVF available to everyone regardless of financial status.

Anita Kucharska-Dziedzic from the Left (Lewica) argued that the state should fund IVF as a scientific and medical method.

On the other hand, Grzegorz Braun from the Confederation (Konfederacja) proposed rejecting the IVF project, characterising it as an “invitation to the vestibule of hell on this earth” and proposed rejecting the IVF project in the first reading.

Health Minister Katherine Sójka noted that the bill was vague and underdeveloped about the IVF method itself. She pointed out, however, that this one “undoubtedly offers great opportunities for couples who face the problem of not having children”.

The head of the President’s Cabinet stated that Andrzej Duda would not block the IVF reimbursement law.

Parliamentarians will resume work on the project at the end of November.

European Landscape of IVF Funding

The Fertility Europe atlas from 2021 indicates that IVF in Western European countries is state-funded.

The Netherlands, Belgium, and France offer favourable conditions, while Albania, Armenia, and Ireland, undergoing regulatory revisions, face greater challenges than Poland.

Dr Grzegorz Mrugacz stressed the variations among these countries in operational principles and criteria for qualifying couples, particularly concerning the age of patients and the number of available IVF procedures under subsidisation.

“High birth rates from IVF are observed in Spain and Scandinavian countries, whereas Poland currently lags in this aspect. In Poland, around 15,000 IVF procedures are conducted annually, but the European standard, recalculated for our population, is twice as high,” Dr Mrugacz told Euractiv.

Regarding the potential enactment of reimbursement laws, Dr Mrugacz expresses confidence in Polish clinics’ ability to meet demand.

He highlights their expertise in assisting patients and providing comfortable conditions throughout the challenging infertility treatment process—covering health, financial, and emotional aspects.

Dr Mrugacz also sees no threat to medication availability, emphasising the importance of maintaining drug reimbursements.

[By Paulina Mozolewska | Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi – Euractiv.com]

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