Ontario Fertility Program celebrates first anniversary

Premier Wynne, along with other participants of the OFP,  discussed the progress made in the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and related services.

Premier Wynne said that since the launch of the program in 2015, Ontario government has provided funding to more than 6,500 people to avail the services.

In IVF, the egg retrieved is fertilized by a sperm outside the body. The resulting embryo is then implanted in the uterus.

Wynne said that one cycle of IVF costs more than $10,000 if paid for privately. When the cost of drugs is added to this, it becomes unaffordable for many of the roughly one in six Ontario couples experiencing infertility.

Asked how she planned to resolve the deficiency in health care funding in Ontario, Wynne replied that the federal government needs to increase the healthcare grant to the provinces but also admitted that it becomes difficult for the federal government to fulfil the requirements of all the provinces.

Wynne pointed out that with only 20 percent for healthcare provided by federal government, the provincial government’s financial accountability officer had to juggle between priorities when faced with spending 73 percent on the province’s healthcare needs.

When asked if Trump’s presidency would hurt Ontario’s economy, Wynne replied that Ontario’s economy, Canadian economy and American economy are all interlinked and therefore it was too early to say what would be the result.

“There was no clear example in each sector. Michigan and Ontario are part of the same scheme,” she said.

When asked to comment about the number of clinics where people can avail IVF facilities, Wynne replied that there were 18 clinics in Ontario where they could receive a funded IVF cycle.

Sarah, an expecting mother who had partnered this program, said that her pregnancy was made possible through invitro vitro fertilization or IVF.

(Reporting by Asha Baja)

Image of Premier Kathleen Wynne by Asha Bajaj