Nordic Fertility Society

Norway

January, 2006

NOFAB the Norwegian Society for Assisted Reproduction (NOrsk Forening for Assistert Befruktning) was founded in November 2004. For a long time it was felt that a formalized cooperation between all professional groups working with ART in Norway was necessary. In addition to creating a national forum for professionals working with ART the objectives of NOFAB are:

  • To stimulate exchange of information between professional groups and clinics and to stimulate professional development, research and quality management in the treatment of infertility.
  • To increase the knowledge of all aspects of infertility among the members and in the community.
  • To act as spokesman towards the public and the authorities in political, professional and ethical questions regarding infertility and its treatment.
  • To act as liaison and Norwegian representative in Nordic, European and other international societies.

Membership is open to all individuals working at licensed Norwegian ART clinics, including Secretaries, Nurses and Midwives, Laboratory Assistants, Embryologists and Biologists, and Physicians.

The second meeting was held in November 2005 and was attended by approximately 60 delegates. The meeting was a big success and this is considered very promising for the society.

Much is happening in Norway at the present time. "EU-directives" is the topic of the day. NOFAB has been contacted by the State Directory of Health to discuss this issue during several meetings. In this regard Norway is well represented in the NFS EU-directives sub-committee by Arne Sunde, Tom Tanbo, and Johan Hazekamp. (See news on EU-Directives).

The other major Norwegian issue is the change of government in November 2005. The new majority government is expected to revise the restrictive Norwegian law on the Medical use of Biotechnology to allow embryological stem cell research and widen the indications for PGD (Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis). The Department of Health has asked NOFAB for a professional assessment in advance of the revision of the law.

- Berit Lippe