Norway
January, 2003As many of you may know, the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) decided that the couple themselves should cover the cost of medical treatment with the purpose of producing an offspring. Primarily this was meant for ART including the hormones needed for ovarian stimulation. Many Norwegian couples have had to withdraw from IVF-treatment for economical reasons. Both the patient organisation (FUB) and the IVF-clinics have been involved in political pressure and lobbying, with some success. We sincerely hoped that the decision last December would be changed when the Stortinget discussed a revision of the budget for this year, 2002. Today's government is made up of a minority coalition in parliament and consists of Liberals (Venstre), Christian democrats (Kristelig folkeparti) and Conservatives (Høyre). The majority in the parliament (Fremskrittspartiet, Arbeiderpartiet and Sosialistisk venstreparti) had stated that they were ready to guarantee public funding of ART treatment. But unfortunately this did not happen. Instead, a deal was made between Fremskrittspartiet and the ruling parties. Couples must now pay NOK 18.000 for a package deal of up to three treatment cycles in public hospitals. Of this fee NOK 15.000 covers the cost of hormonal treatment and NOK 3.000 hospital fees. All expenses beyond this amount, but limited to a total of three cycles only, are covered by national health insurance. Patients opting for treatment in private clinics at home or abroad also receive subsidy through national health insurance for the cost of medicines exceeding NOK 15.000, also this limited to three cycles. Beyond three cycles, public or private, couples receive no more subsidy. Unless! Couples lucky enough to achieve childbirth within the three cycles may enrol for another three cycles. But unfortunately not so the unlucky couples who do not achieve childbirth within the first three cycles! Next year the parliament will discuss government proposals to revise the current Law of Biotechnology, (which includes the regulation of ART). The government is expected to continue the strict regulation of ART. As you may know MESA/TESE are techniques currently banned in Norway, and there is no proposal to change this. It is expected that the parliament will follow the Swedish example and reject anonymous sperm donation, which probably will terminate this ART treatment in Norway. Egg donation will still be prohibited, as is all embryo research. Sadly it is proposed that PGD be forbidden in Norway, even in situations that today are widely regarded good and obvious indications for such treatment. Only on one point do we expect a more liberal change, i.e. the proposal to allow freezing of oocytes. |