AZ Legislative Update
Posted on May 4, 2010
No, this is not about immigration, but about infertility. Boy, oh boy has it been interesting in AZ the past week. Generally we only make the news because of our weather. I feel so sorry for those who oppose SB1070. I know what it is like to deal with the AZ Legislators. They do not listen to logic or reason. I’m neutral on SB1070 as I don’t know enough about what the bill does to protect us, but I do have friends who think they will be racially profiled because of it…
Anyway, on to more relevant topics. In Arizona the Legislators passed the two anti-family bills, with amendments. It is my understanding that SB1306, the Egg Donor bill, imposes additional informed consent requirements for the doctors and egg donors but does little else to harm infertility patients. While some donors may choose to leave the donor program when they see the mound of paperwork they have to read and sign, most of them would have done so anyway. The women who really want to help other women have a baby won’t be putout by the additional paperwork.
SB1307, the ugly research bill that would have made IVF basically illegal in the State of Arizona is now an anti-stem cell and anti-animal/human hybrid bill. Seriously, who is creating an animal/human hybrid? The illegal immigrants? Actually, the animal/human hybrid nonsense was a front to pass Personhood legislation. Thankfully we were able to defeat the Personhood movement this year. The legislators have promised it will be back on the agenda for next year.
So, even though RESOLVE is bummed about the passage of both of these bills, they are much less harmful in final form than they were initially proposed.
A few lessons learned:
1. The legislators do not care who they hurt or why. They have their own agenda and they are out to please the group(s) that can help them get re-elected.
2. Negotiating with the legislators is stressful and frustrating. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. In our case, negotiations were the death of our opposition. However, another non-profit was able to successfully negotiate portions out of a bill to their benefit.
3. Your vote really matters. Who you vote for will determine which silly laws get passed. There are a few folks in my district who will not be getting my votes, ever!
» Filed Under Infertility, Patient Advocacy, Resources | 2 Comments
National Infertility Awareness Week
Posted on April 26, 2010
There is a lot going on in the blogosphere during National Infertility Awareness Week. RESOLVE has a list of ways you can help bring awareness about this silent disease that affects 1 in 8 couples.
To learn how you can spread the word visit RESOLVE.
To find an event in your area or teleconference that will help you with your own infertility journey (or someone you love’s journey) visit RESOLVE’s NIAW events page for more info.
RESOLVE has had a website overhaul. To get the latest updates on the infertility legislation pending in your state visit their Center for Infertility Justice web pages.
» Filed Under Infertility, Patient Advocacy, Resources, Womens Issues | 1 Comment
IVF – Not a Cure All
Posted on April 22, 2010
Not every couple who ventures into the world of in vitro fertilization (IVF) experiences the joy of a baby. Unless we know of a preexisting condition, we get married and expect to have children fairly easily (assuming you want them) – after all the process is fairly simple when two people are in love. But this is not the case for 1 in 8 couples.
My husband and I are blessed with twins thanks to IVF, but I know a few people who did not have success with their fertility treatments. Some of those couples have decided to live childfree. A few others are in the process of navigating adoption (NOTE: this is not to say adoption is always a second choice as a friend of mine adopted and never even considered fertility treatments).
A great article was written about two couples who were left with empty arms after their IVF cycle(s), Failed IVF. Both of these couples agree that at least trying IVF was worth piece of mind, even though it was extremely heart breaking. They are so brave for sharing their story. Read it here: Failed IVF.
» Filed Under Infertility, Personal Growth, Relationships | Please Share Your Thoughts; Leave a Comment!
Fertility – Q&A with Dr. Craig (Arizona)
Posted on April 20, 2010
In striving to meet the needs of the community, and in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, April 25th -May 2nd, The Center for True Harmony Wellness and Medicine has invited a panel of experts to join them in discussing topics related to fertility and conception on Thursday April 29th from 6:30pm-8:00pm.
The panel will include a medley of experts who can answer your questions about traditional fertility treatments combined with alternative medicine:
• Dr. Craig, MD Reproductive Endocrinologist
• Dr. Denise Grobe, ND (Naturopathic Physician)
• Mary Ann Shostek, PA-C (Physician’s Assistant)
• Traci Fors, LMT (Reflexologist)
Each of these experts will be able to cover the topic of fertility and conception from several different perspectives.
This gathering will be held on Thursday April 29th, 2010 from 6:30pm-8:00pm at The Center for True Harmony Wellness and Medicine in Mesa, AZ.
Sign up and be entered to WIN A FREE INITIAL ACUPUNCTURE SESSION* with Dr. Denise Grobe, ND.
*must be present to win
Call 480-539-6646 to RSVP. There is a limit of guests at this event, so call today!
If you have any specific questions or would like to meet with Dr Grobe, our licensed Naturopath at The Center for True Harmony, about Natural fertility options such as Acupuncture, please call to set up an appointment at 480-539-6646.
» Filed Under Infertility, Resources, Womens Issues | 1 Comment
Learn more about Infertility – Arizona Event
Posted on April 15, 2010
As part of National Infertility Week, Banner Thunderbird Medical Center is sponsoring an Infertility Seminar featuring the Northwest Valley’s leading infertility specialist and a leading OB/GYN physician who will be presenting on the topic of being or becoming healthy enough to plan a pregnancy and the reasons why some couples have infertility issues.
WHEN: April 24, 2010
8 to 10 a.m. or 10 a.m. to noon (attend either session)
WHERE: Banner Thunderbird Medical Center
5555 W. Thunderbird Road, Glendale AZ 85306
Lower Level Conference Center, east side of campus
Presentations by Dr. Vladimir Troche and Dr. Diana Heard-Vaughn and their staff. These experts will help you understand why it may be more difficult to conceive than you thought.
Register for either the 8 a.m. or 10 am. session by calling 230-CARE.
» Filed Under Doctors, Infertility, Resources, Womens Issues | Please Share Your Thoughts; Leave a Comment!
Petition for AZ Infertility Patients
Posted on April 9, 2010
We’ve created a petition to let the AZ legislator’s know that we do not want them to harm infertility patients by passing SB1306 and SB1307. To help our cause, please sign the petition.
Click here to sign the Protect Family Building Rights in Arizona petition.
» Filed Under Infertility, Patient Advocacy, Womens Issues | Please Share Your Thoughts; Leave a Comment!
Summary of AZ Anti-Infertility Bills
Posted on April 9, 2010
SB1306:
The Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Society of Arizona (REISA), an organization of infertility specialists, embryologists and professionals, oppose SB 1306. They are supported in their opposition by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. No physicians or embryologists working in this field were ever consulted during the drafting of this bill.
This bill is anti-family and will severely limit infertility specialists helping Arizonans struggling to build their families. It singles out life-giving, pro-family medical treatments and subjects them to a new regime of Governmental restriction.
Myth: Egg donors are not provided adequate information about the risks of egg donation, including long-term risks of increased ovarian cancer and other types of cancer.
Truth: Physicians are required to provide informed consent to all patients prior to any procedure. The FDA has requirements for tissue donation (egg donation is considered tissue donation), the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has guidelines for informed consent. In addition, every physician must adhere to the informed consent guidelines required by malpractice insurance companies.
Amendments were negotiated that would insert the requirements and guidelines of these regulatory bodies into Arizona’s statutes. That language has been rejected.
Myth: This bill maintains the “status quo” for the infertility community in Arizona. It will merely prohibit the use of eggs for “research” and “cloning.”
Truth: This bill prohibits anyone from “purchasing or offering to purchase” a human egg for anything but the “treatment of infertility.” This includes the use of eggs that fail to fertilize to be used to further new treatments for infertility and for training embryologists. What “treatment for infertility” entails is not defined, yet anything outside of that realm carries a criminal penalty and certain loss of license for the physician.
Can physicians freeze and thaw eggs for preservation? A common practice, yet still classified as “investigative” under ASRM guidelines. Can physicians screen for genetic defects? Can new specialists and embryologists be trained? The physicians in the infertility practices believe these practices will no longer be legal. Physicians will no longer be able to treat patients who need egg donation as a means to build their families in Arizona, driving these couples out of state to seek treatment.
Amendments allowing “clinical investigation for the furthering of the treatment of infertility” were negotiated. That language was subsequently rejected. There is no way to know how a judge, not a medical board, will interpret “the treatment of infertility.” Given the threat of criminal penalty and loss of license to practice, physicians will not provide these treatments to their patients.
Doctors will leave Arizona and so will patients. Arizona will lose millions of dollars in revenues in addition to labeling itself anti-family.
SB1307:
The Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Society of Arizona (REISA), an organization of infertility specialists, embryologists and professionals, oppose SB 1307. They are supported in their opposition by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.
The bill prohibits cloning and human/animal hybrids, which we have no problem with. However, as stated by Dr. Pomeroy, “the bill says you are liable if you ‘intentionally or knowingly’ engage in activity that causes the demise of embryos. Embryologists ‘know’ that some embryos will not survive freezing and thawing and so we would be culpable, even though it was not intentional. No embryologist would work under a condition of potential liability like this.” In doing this, NO medical procedure could be performed on ANY embryo—viable or non-viable, that results in “injury, death or destruction…” of the embryo.
Under the definition of nontheraputic research, the only permissible activities are Treatment of Infertility, In Vitro Fertilization and accompanying transfer. Any other procedure MUST be done solely to “preserve the life or health of the particular embryo.”
This bill carries a Class 6 Felony penalty. The testimony of Nik Nikas, attorney and proponent of the bill, was very clear that “we have no way of knowing how a federal or state judge would interpret the phrase “treatment of infertility.”
The medical community working in this field strongly believes that the definition of nontheraputic research would prohibit:
• Training of new infertility specialists and embryologists.
• Practices that allow embryologists to screen embryos for genetic disease. Some genetic conditions can actually be removed from an embryo prior to transfer.
• Practices such as Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis that select only healthy embryos from genetically challenged couples, avoiding miscarriage and health risks.
• Screening to select only the most viable embryos for transfer allowing doctors to transfer one or two embryos. This reduces the need for multiple embryos that lead to high-order multiples and premature birth.
With a class 6 felony and loss of license to practice, no physician in Arizona would dare take that chance. They would no longer be able to help Arizona couples have families. These unintended consequences will drive businesses out of Arizona, and force couples seeking this treatment to go elsewhere.
If this bill passes, doctors will leave Arizona and so will patients. Arizona will lose millions of dollars in revenues in addition to labeling itself anti-family.
To voice your opposition to these bills visit RESOLVE to send a letter to your Representative.
» Filed Under Infertility, Patient Advocacy, Womens Issues | Please Share Your Thoughts; Leave a Comment!
Arizona on HIGH Alert for Infertiles
Posted on April 6, 2010
Below is a posting of a RESOLVE alert regarding legislation in AZ:
The only person that can stop SB 1306 and 1307 from passing is YOU! The Arizona House of Representatives is about to take the last steps to pass SB 1306 and 1307.
Please show your opposition to SB 1306 and 1307 by sending a letter right now to your Arizona state Representative!
RESOLVE volunteers have heard it straight from the horse’s mouth that the goal of SB 1306 and 1307 is to interfere with or stop medical treatment for infertility in Arizona. The goal is to make it harder for us to have babies safely. At a March 31 hearing on the bills, a witness for the bills testified that if these bills pass there will be NO cryopreservation of eggs (sorry, cancer patients!) and NO cryopreservation of embryos (hello, future “octomoms”!).
We must stop these bills or it will be difficult or impossible to practice IVF in Arizona. Doctors have examined the bills and determined they would not want to practice medicine under these new Arizona laws. That means YOUR doctor may leave the state with no one to help those diagnosed with infertility.
MYTH: “My representative told me these bills have been fixed.”
FACT: That is false. While a few amendments were made, the bills that the House Committee passed last week — and that the House Rules committee will consider today, April 6 — are still designed to impair the way IVF and egg donation are practiced. Please visit RESOLVE’s website for details and a full analysis.
Please stop what you are doing and register your opposition! It may be your last chance. Tell your lawmakers what they are doing to couples who want to have a family. These bills may take away their only chance to have a child. They don’t understand that many, many people will be harmed by these bills, that many, many people oppose them. No one will act for you — we need you, and we need you NOW!
Please click here NOW to send a letter to your representative! If you can pick up the phone and call too, that is even better. Click here for a list of representatives with their phone number.
Thank you!
Barbara Collura
Executive Director
P.S. The bills actually criminalize the practice of reproductive medicine. Doctors who treat infertility can go to prison for treating a patient to the current standard of medicine! Is this family-friendly? I don’t think so!
We only have a few days left! Please help us get the word out. Ask everyone you know to send an email and fax today by clicking here!
» Filed Under Uncategorized | Please Share Your Thoughts; Leave a Comment!
