She said the state-funded effort demonstrates Poland's commitment to providing hopeful parents with the means to overcome infertility, highlighting the importance of equal access to reproductive health services and the preservation of reproductive material for cancer patients facing treatments that may impair their fertility.
The initiative, starting June 1 and backed by an annual fund of PLN 500 million (around EUR 120 million, USD 125 million), aims to make IVF accessible to those diagnosed with infertility, including cancer patients aspiring to parenthood in the future.
Leszczyna outlined the program's eligibility criteria, emphasizing support for couples who have undergone unsuccessful infertility treatments over the past year or have been advised that IVF is their only option to conceive.
Additionally, the program extends to individuals with embryos stored from previous IVF attempts, she told reporters.
Prof. Robert Spaczyński, a national consultant in the field of gynecological endocrinology and reproduction, highlighted the program's inclusive age criteria: women up to 42 years old using their eggs or sperm donation, and up to 45 years old with donor eggs or embryos, can participate. The age limit for male participants is set at 55 years.
For cancer patients undergoing or preparing for treatment, the program offers gamete collection and storage services, with eligibility extending to women up to 40 years old and men up to 45 years old.
The initiative provides funding for up to six individual assisted reproduction procedures, as explained by Dagmara Korbasińska, head of the ministerial team that developed the program's criteria.
This includes up to four cycles using one's reproductive cells or sperm donation and up to two cycles with donor eggs, with a provision for fertilizing up to six eggs per cycle, Korbasińska said.
Approximately 60 infertility treatment centers across Poland are expected to join the government-sponsored IVF program, which aims to ensure equal access to reproductive opportunities for all couples facing infertility challenges.
The health ministry has allocated a total of PLN 2.5 billion (around EUR 120 million, USD 625 million) for the program, which will run until December 31, 2028.
Leszczyna also addressed the cooperation between this state-funded initiative and similar programs financed by local governments, saying that the national program's substantial budget ensures comprehensive care and support for all participating couples, regardless of their involvement in other IVF schemes.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP