‘Rapid review’ of IVF ordered by nation’s health ministers following Monash IVF disaster

Following Monash’s catastrophic IVF bungle, Australia’s Health Ministers have gathered in an urgent meeting to discuss what comes next.

The Victorian Health Minister has accused Queensland of blocking her push for an independent federal IVF body after a string of embryo bungles raised questions about self-regulation.

Australia’s Health Ministers agreed to commission a “rapid” 3-month review into regulation options - including creating an independent accreditation body - at a national meeting in Melbourne on Friday.

But in scathing comments after the meeting, Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said Queensland blocked her efforts for immediate reform and the current system did not “pass the pub test”.

“The key issue for me has been the accreditation of fertility care in this nation,” she said.

“It simply doesn’t pass the pub test that the people that provide the service are also the ones that determine who provides the service.

“I went into the meeting today with a view that we should move immediately to implement an independent accreditation process.

“Queensland spoke against the proposition.”

She said if the nation’s ministers could not agree on a federal accreditation body she would consider establishing one in Victoria and was concerned errors may be under-reported.

“I think it’s concerning that there may well be more errors that we don’t know about and that is because the body that currently accredits fertility care providers and that’s why I find Queensland’s position so complexing,” she said.

“The majority of states want to see strong action.”

Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas. Picture: Valeriu Campan

A spokeswoman for Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls said he “advocated for an informed understanding of the current framework for accreditation and regulation”.

“Health Ministers decided that Queensland would lead work to understand the issues better and to ensure a strategy would be well informed,” the spokeswoman said.

The meeting came just days after Monash IVF admitted to a second embryo bungle and confirmed its Clayton clinic wrongly gave a patient her biological embryo - instead of her partner’s as planned - last week.

Monash IVF’s acting chief executive Malik Jainudeen - who stepped into the role following Michael Knapp’s resignation on Thursday - wrote to patients on Friday and said they were “devastated” by the recent incidents.

“I want to reassure you that Monash IVF is committed to providing the highest standards of care and we want to be transparent with you about how we’re responding to the incidents at our Clayton and Brisbane laboratories,” he said.

“We have immediately implemented interim additional verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards.”

The Herald Sun revealed in April that a woman had given birth to a stranger’s baby after a horror embryo mix-up at Monash’s Brisbane clinic.

In a joint communique released after Friday’s meeting, the Ministers noted there was “growing public concern” about the sector and agreed to review several areas, including “options for implementation of an independent accreditation body and process”.

They also agreed to review whether they needed to strengthen states’ regulatory schemes or should consider a national regulation.

The review will be conducted by the various governments’ departments of health.

The IVF industry is governed by a mix of state and federal laws, but the national

accreditation process — whereby clinics are granted a licence to operate — is currently overseen by a committee of the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand, an industry body.

A FSANZ spokesman said they welcomed the review and had called for support to transition their accreditation committee “into an independent statutory authority” last year.

“Such a move would deliver greater regulatory clarity, enhance accountability, and give the accreditation system the agility needed to maintain high standards and address emerging risks,” he said.

“A nationally consistent approach to ART regulation would improve transparency, streamline governance, and enhance patient care across jurisdictions.

“We look forward to working closely with all levels of government as we progress these shared goals and shape a future-focused, trusted framework for fertility care in Australia.”

Originally published as ‘Rapid review’ of IVF ordered by nation’s health ministers following Monash IVF disaster