The Cash Cow in 'Fertility' Medicine
By Pamela M Tsigdinos,
Healthcare in America
| 10. 23. 2016
On average, the cost of a basic IVF cycle in the U.S ranges from $12,000 — $15,000 yet three out of four times it fails
20 million fails. This is one stat not discussed at the latest American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Scientific Congress and Expo. It’s also not posted on fertility clinic member websites nor shared on their social media feeds but it should be.
Last week thousands of physicians, nurses, scientists and lab technicians gathered in Salt Lake City joined by legions of pharmaceutical representatives, ‘fertility’ entrepreneurs and service providers in full on ‘sell mode.’
It’s been nearly 40 years since in vitro fertilization (IVF) became available. There has been explosive growth in the size and scope of clinics and profit taking but no commensurate improvement in IVF outcomes.
Here are five other facts that aren’t widely known but should be:
Fact #1: ‘Fertility’ is now a huge market. That’s right: a market. The global In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) market size was valued at $9.6 billion in 2014. A more recent report by Grand View Research, Inc. projects the global ... see more
Related Articles
"Human Egg" by euthman is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
In late April, the National Academies held a three-day workshop on
In Vitro Derived Human Gametes as a Reproductive Technology. Experts from a broad range of fields commented on the fast-developing science, its potential applications in assisted reproduction, and its social implications. Despite a focus on the significant technical challenges that remain in developing these techniques and the notable inclusion of several critical voices, the overall...
By CGS Staff
| 05.15.2023
On May 4, the Center for Genetics and Society contributed invited remarks about heritable gene editing at a comment session hosted by the National Council on Disability (NCD), the US federal agency that advises government and the private sector on disability policy. Some 17 speakers, including representatives of disability and patient advocacy organizations, scholars, medical researchers, and genetic counselors, weighed in for three minutes each on the topic “Germline editing, fetal medicine, and their impact on people with disabilities.”
The...
By Carla Hall, Los Angeles Times | 05.01.2023
Among the dubious points that U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk makes in his recent ruling suspending the Food and Drug Administration’s authorization of mifepristone is that abortion is part of the now-reviled practice of eugenics.
That clinical-sounding word refers to...
By Rob Stein, NPR | 05.02.2023
When Chase Finazzo was just a few years old, his parents noticed Chase was pretty clumsy. But they didn't think it was anything serious.
"He would fall a lot. Not like a lot a lot. But he had trouble climbing...
