I thought many of you may be interested in a Newsweek article out last week, Should IVF Be Affordable for All? Although I'm not a fan of Newsweek AT ALL, I do think that this article poses some very interesting questions and concerns that many of us in the Infertility Community have been contemplating for years.
So after reading this article this morning, it definitely got my blood boiling. This paragraph in particular did it for me:
"David Fleming, director of the Center for Health Ethics at the University of Missouri, says the main concern with making fertilization affordable for more people is the risk of “commoditization” of babies. “The more you have access, the more people will do it,” says Fleming. “The concern is that we are placing these little humans in danger,” he says. “IVF, with all due respect—is it a question of need or a question of want?”" (Skoch, Iva; http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/20/should-ivf-be-affordable-for-all.html)
Is is a question of want or need? Are you kidding me? Is he actually implying that I'm making a choice to have children like I would if I were deciding on a new pair of boobs? And I'm sorry buddy, but it's the Doctors, NOT the patients, that have turned the idea of having babies into a commodity and business by charging astronomical amounts of money for IVF or other fertility treatments.
So, what are your thoughts on this article on this lovely Monday morning?
Here from ICLW...I just wrote a post on this too. I can't believe the audacity of that guy.
ReplyDeleteI try not to let myself get too drawn into what the fertile world thinks about IVF and what infertile couples should do in general. It always hurts and never helps. That being said, I do think both IVF should be covered by insurance. I really see it as no different than any other medical treatment. Technically any medical treatment that does not result in death if the treatment does not occur could be considered a want. But in all other areas, it is okay for people to want optimum health and to experience life fully, not to just want to be alive. My mom borrowed from her pension to pay for my cycle. She is an angel.
ReplyDeleteYea...putting babies in danger? Hummm...So if it is available to everyone then there will be danger...I don't get it. I can guess as to what he means, but really? Come on.
ReplyDeleteI read another article on someone's blog from Newsweek that got my blood boiling too. Some lady and her husband froze embryos to implant later...ugh...made me gag.
ICLW#40
Personally... I have a hard time with this very subject. Fertility treatment is not medically the same as fixing a broken arm or knee or removing a burst appendix or malfunctioning galbladder. You CAN live and function "normally" (so to speak) without having successful pregnancies/children. I DO think that it is absolutely ridiculous how expensive it is. I think the number of RE programs available is wrong. But I don't know IUI/IVF is something that NEEDS to be covered by insurance companies. However, I do think there should be better standards within that portion of the medical industry. It is insane how different the cost can be from one clinic/doctor to the next. I also think there should be standards regarding how many embryos can be implanted.
ReplyDelete