Update – October 2024:
The Province of BC announced in February 2024 that a new publicly funded in-vitro fertilization (IVF) program will launch in April 2025, covering both treatment and medication for one cycle. While no additional updates have been provided yet, the BC Ministry of Health has launched a dedicated page for the latest information. To stay informed, visit the BC Ministry of Health's IVF funding page.
It is an exciting time in BC. The provincial government’s announcement that our Medical Services Plan (MSP) will begin funding IVF in 2025 came as a wonderful surprise earlier this spring.
We learned when you did - when the news outlets told us. Well, actually I learned when my phone blew up with friends texting the news while I was seeing patients.
Clinic directors have contacted the government policy makers and there are plans for consultation with IVF clinics, patients, and the general public.
For now we understand (mostly from water cooler conversations - not from any formal route) that:
- there will be funding for some IVF cycles starting in April 2025. The funding will likely include the clinic fees and medications.
That’s it. That’s all we know.
What we do not know:
What the limitations will be. For example, will there be an age cut off? Can people who already have a child qualify? Will people who have already done a privately paid IVF cycle qualify?
How many IVF cycles will be funded? I suspect it will fund about 1/3 of the necessary IVF cycles in BC. The suspicion is based on the Ontario IVF funding model and the level of funding the BC government has announced.
What will the waitlist look like? If MSP will cover, say, 1500 IVF cycles in BC per year as of April 1, 2025 and we know that clinics do not have the capacity to treat 1500 patients in one month, how will the IVF cycles be distributed over the year?
Will donor sperm, donor eggs, surrogacy received any support?
