The Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) acknowledges the outcomes of the Health Ministers’ Meeting and the commitment to reform in assisted reproductive technology (ART) and in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) services.
FSANZ has for many years called for an independent regulatory body to be established for the IVF sector and presented a pathway for sector improvement to Health Ministers ten months ago, in November 2024. We are pleased to see these calls finally being heard.
We have been open with the challenges of self-regulation in the ART and IVF sector for some time, including inconsistent state and territory requirements for donors, provider registration and complaints handling through legislated authorities, alongside the limits of self-regulation, clear metrics and a lack of enforcement powers under existing law.
The Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC) was started by FSANZ with the specific purpose of providing systematic accreditation and oversight of a system which thousands of Australians depend on each year to make their families whole. We have consistently acted in accordance with the principles such a body should uphold.
Working within a fragmented system of over 40 laws across Australia, and without the legislated regulatory enforcement powers needed, RTAC and FSANZ have always pushed for the highest standards of safety and accountability possible under the current framework. We will continue to work towards consistent improvement for the benefit of all Australian patients.
Through its accreditation and quality standards, the Fertility Society has played a central role in building that record of safety and success. We are proud of what the sector has achieved together.
We look forward to close cooperation with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) as we move towards independent accreditation for ART services, against updated national standards.
Shifting from self-regulation to an independent oversight model with government participation, must embed transparency, national coordination and stronger enforcement while retaining clinical expertise. This was a key pillar of FSANZ’s recommendations of our 10-year fertility roadmap.
Maintaining a patchwork of state and territory laws and separate donor registries will continue to put patients at risk and undermine public confidence in the system. We hope the decisions announced today represent a clear commitment to a single, consistent national law regulating Australia’s IVF industry and to the creation of a national donor register. These two central pillars must be undertaken to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of Australia’s ART and IVF sectors. Today was a missed opportunity to move towards these goals.
We believe a hybrid co-regulation model – with accreditation and oversight managed independently of the Fertility Society but informed by sector expertise and with government participation – offers the right balance between independence, practicality and public trust.
While Australia transitions to a new regulatory framework, FSANZ will continue safeguarding the highest standards of safety and quality through RTAC accreditation across Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
FSANZ will be in communication with all levels of government in the coming days and looks forward to assisting in the delivery of reforms that maintain Australia’s world-leading fertility outcomes, while giving the public confidence that oversight of fertility care is independent, robust and patient-centred.
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