The European Parliament notes that infertility is a medical condition recognized by World Health Organization that can have severe effects such as depression; points out that infertility is on the increase and now occurs in about 15 % of couples; therefore calls on the Member States to ensure the right of couples to universal access to infertility treatment.
European Parliament resolution on the demographic future of Europe (2008)
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Infertility is a medical condition! Having a child should not be a luxury!
“SOS Infertility” Association – Activity Report statutory 2009
I. Coordinates and Statutory Stipulations
After having worked for about 18 months under the name of “initiative group”, the “SOS Infertility” Association has gained legal personality since October 19, 2009, by ruling of Bucharest Sector 1 Court, being recorded in the Registry of Associations and Foundations at no. 110/27-10-2009. The Association has a fiscal code – 26227202 and an International Bank Account Number – IBAN RO51RZBR00000600122, at Raiffeisen Bank, Unirea Agency. The Association‘s office is situated in Bucharest, Calea Floreasca no. 110, and the actions of the association are advertised on www.infertilitate.com.
According to its statute, the main purpose of the association is to carry out actions of communitarian and group interest, meant to contribute to the initiation of a legal framework regarding infertility and human assisted reproduction, advertising the matter of infertility and bringing it on the Romanian public agenda, general and financial support of the authorities for infertile couples, counseling of infertile couples, advocating civic values, family principles and of the rule of law.
The main target of the Association will be reached by accomplishing the following objectives:
1. initiation and improvement of legal framework regarding infertility and human assisted reproduction;
2. advertising the matter of infertility and the problems generated by it by taking action on radio, television, written media, online media, conferences, interviews, reports, meetings, symposia , etc;
3. fund raising for projects in the field of infertility;
4. assurance of psychological and/or special counseling for couples which demand support.
5. organizing partnerships, cooperation, experience exchanges , taking stands which are similar to other organizations ( government and non-governmental organizations) in the country or abroad in the area of interest of the Association;
6. gaining funds from state or private institutions in order to reach objectives stipulated in the statute
7. proceeding to direct economical activities or company foundation in view of fund raising to support the purpose of the association
8. authority support according to law and needs, in view of obtaining spaces for activities;
9. project outlining in cooperation with institutions, governmental and non-profit organizations for:
- controlling/limitation of couple infertility
- advertising and respecting the rights of child and family
- preparing families with fertility problems to become foster parents;
- increasing competencies and parental abilities.
II. Preliminary actions at political and media level
1. At political level, the main actions carried out by the “SOS Infertility” initiative group within the first year of existence have been:
- correspondence and meetings on regular basis with political figures who showed interest in the subject of infertility. The “SOS Infertility” initiative group has gained political support on the cause of infertility from the following MPs: Adrian Tutuianu, Alin Popoviciu, Anca Boagiu, Catalin Croitoru, Daniel Barbulescu, Daniel Geanta, Doina Silistru, Dumitru Oprea, Elena Mitrea, Ioan-Nelu Botis, Iulian Badescu, Iulian Urban, Luminita Iordache, Sever Voinescu, Sonia Draghici, Sulfina Barbu, Tudor Ciuhodaru, Valeriu Alecu, Victor Boiangiu;
- meetings on regular basis and support on the cause of infertility from dr. Cristian Irimie, State Secretary, Ministry of Health;
- meeting at the Cotroceni Palace with State Counselor of the Presidential Administration Bogdan Teodoriu Bujor, Head of Department for Social and Economic Policies and Presidential Advisor, and dr. Virgil Paunescu, Head of Department for Public Health within the same institution;
- the collective petition (which had acquired over 5.000 signatures by October 2009) has been sent to numerous national and international institutions: Romanian Presidency, Mr. Traian Basescu; Romanian Government, Prime Minister Emil Boc; General Secretariat of the Government; The Health and Social Compartment of the Prime Minister Chancellery; Ministry of Health, The National House for Health Insurance, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Protection, Ministry of Youth and to the specialized commissions of the two chambers of the Parliament.
2. As for the media actions, the “Infertility is a medical condition” campaign has made itself seen, read and heard:
- on radio and television: impact shows (news, reportages, talk shows, debates, most of them on prime time) on ProTv, Tvr1, Antena1, Antena3, Realitatea TV, Radio Romania Actualitati, Deutsche Welle, B1TV, Europa FM, Radio France Internationale – RFI etc.
- on written media – articles in newspapers and periodicals, central or regional such as: Dilema Veche, Adevarul, Evenimentul Zilei, Curentul, Monitorul de Sibiu, Gazeta de Sud, Observator de Constanta, Foaia Transilvana, Monitorul de Suceava, Jurnalul National, Ziua, Viata Medicala, revista Tabu, Viata Medicala, etc.
- Online: realitatea.net, stirileprotv.ro, antena3.ro, europafm.ro, hotnews.ro, ziare.com, mediafax.ro, desprecopii.com, eva.ro, allpress.ro, babyonline.ro, atitudinea.ro, sanatateatv.ro, info-sanatate.ro, medicalmanager.ro, informatiamedicala.ro, sfatulmedicului.ro, newsreport.ro, severpress.ro, topsanatate.ro, superbebe.ro, infopro.ro, gandul.ro, romanialibera.ro etc.
A complete list of the media actions of this campaign, on categories (TV, radio, written media, online), with links towards these interventions can be accessed on our website, on “blogroll” rubric.
The “Infertility is a medical condition” campaign has been awarded the special prize for social responsibility concerning health within the Carol Davila Awards, 2009. The blog that mediates this campaign has had, in less than a year, more that 35 pages of articles, hundreds of commentaries and over 100.000 viewers. Our website has been one of the winners of Roblogfest 2009, in the “Best Collective Blog” category and “The Most Popular Blog” and was one of the finalists of Webstock Awards 2009 (in the “Company and Brand Blogs” category).
III. Recent Actions of the “SOS Infertility” Association (October 19, 2009- December 31, 2009)
Within the two and a half months of legal existence, the “SOS Infertility” Association has developed – under a minimal budget obtained from donations of members - actions of a strong impact, which we summarize in this activity report.
1 The legal constitution of the “SOS Infertility” Association coincided with an unprecedented moment in the history of human assisted reproduction in Romania: In October 2009, The Ministry of Public Health issues an order by which IVF treatments are forbidden in self-financing private or public clinics. The “SOS Infertility” Association reacts promptly (just a couple of hours since the publication of the order), gives a press release and officially protests against the Ministry of Health demanding urgent cancelation of this anomalous order. The press release issued by the “SOS Infertility” Association is largely taken over by the Romanian media, which brings the subject of infertility on the foreground of the public eye. Among numerous publications in the written and online media ( links are provided on our website), the representatives of the “SOS Infertility” Association, have given audio-video interviews, the association being advertised by means of radio and television news such as : Radio Romania Actualitati, Radio France Internationale, Antena 3, Antena 1, Televiziunea Romana and Pro TV, in prime time ( recordings are available on our website). The Minister of Health announces publicly that the order is a complete error and that the human assisted reproduction procedures may continue as earlier.
2. As a consequence of the media turmoil and official protests, after a few days the Press Department of the Ministry of Health issues a press release by which it announces the initiation of a pilot program that has as purpose the state support of the necessary costs for IVF procedures for a total of 250 young, infertile couples, in 2010.
Prof Dr. Adrian Streinu-Cercel, State Secretary in the Ministry of Health states: “It is time infertility was admitted by the authorities as a medical condition that causes pain and requires compensation. Romanian patients should also have free access to medical treatments that have proved effective. Today, we had a meeting with the representatives of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee within the Ministry of Health and we decided it is necessary that future national programs of the Ministry of Health, should include a plan to help young couples”.
According to preliminary declarations of the Ministry of Health, the pilot program will mainly include, couples aged 25 to 40, waiting for other criteria to be established by the members of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee. According to the initiative, the Ministry of Health will financially support the first IVF procedure. If the procedure needs repeating, the costs will be paid by the couples. The budget of the new program is estimated to € 500 000 annually.
As a result, the “SOS Infertility” Association sends a new press release in which it states: “Regarding the new decision of the Ministry of Health to financially support an IVF attempt, this is salutary. However, what raises a question is the number – “250 couples, aged 25 to 40”. Although the Association understands the budgetary restrictions, it considers the number discriminatory and arbitrary. Knowing that all the members of the infertile couples are contributors to the health insurance system, in our view, it is very difficult to find criteria which will not transform this restriction to 250 couples into a discriminatory measure, which violates the principle of equal access to medical treatment for Romanian citizens. The “SOS Infertility” Association is looking forward to the criteria which will be drawn up by the Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee of the Ministry of Health, for IVF financing and there will be reactions as such.
3. Consequently, the Ministry of Health announces the initiation of a law project in relation to Human Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, established “as a result of a real public concern regarding the implications that the new technologies of assisted reproduction might have on public awareness and valuation of human existence and family relationships.” During the public debate of this law project, the “SOS Infertility” Association, after careful lecturing and legal counseling, reacted officially, sending to the Ministry of Health, notices about the substance and form of this law project ( this material has already been posted on our website).
These new actions cause a new media storm, of which we can mention a fifteen minute interview on Radio Bucharest, news reports of Antena 1 and ProTV, on prime time, with the representatives of the Association (recordings are available on our website), as well as a full page dedicated to the subject of infertility by the “Dilema Veche” magazine.
4. On October 27, 2009 actions at national level took place on the National Infertility Day – during which, doctors, patients and journalists gathered together to speak about an ever existing problem, which had not been sufficiently publicized in Romania: infertility.
This event was organized by the Association of Embryologists AER (chairwoman dr. Diana Cocei, Honorary Chairman prof. dr. Bogdan Marinescu) in cooperation with doctors in cities like Bucharest, Iasi, Timisoara, Brasov, Constanta and Craiova. The “SOS Infertility” Association gathered together and took part in actions in Craiova, Brasov, Iasi and Bucharest. In terms of logistics, personalized portfolios have been printed, brochures of the activities, CDs with informative content, business cards – the expenses being secured from donations of the founding members that constituted the first patrimony of the Association.
Following the Infertility National Day, the representatives of the “SOS Infertility” Association are present again in the news reports of Antena 1, and TVR, and on prime time (recordings are available on the website).
5. The week before the final tour of presidential elections in Romania, the “SOS Infertility” Association addressed a question via the Institute of Public Policies (IPP), the organizer of the candidates’ debate, to the two candidates who were running for presidency, Mr. Mircea Geoana and Traian Basescu: “Romania is facing a serious demographic crisis. There are predictions according to which, if the actual fertility level is preserved, Romania will reach 16,7 million inhabitants in 2050 and 11,9 million inhabitants in 2070. At the same time, statistics of the World Health Organization show that at European level about 15% of the couples of reproductive age are facing fertility problems, they cannot obtain or maintain pregnancy. In all European Union countries there are consistent public policies which encourage the birth rate by supporting infertile couples – in Romania there aren’t any. What are you going to do, as future president of Romania, for this population segment (one couple out of six), how will you support infertile couples in their fight to have a child?”
The question did not have the chance to be part of the three questions randomly extracted to which the candidates answered, but the campaign staff of the two, prepared answers to this question, thus, the “SOS Infertility” Association brought the problem on the political agenda at the highest level.
6. In December, 2009, the “SOS Infertility” Association signed its first official contract with Health Media Group, becoming partner at the National Conference of Patients, event of great impact which will take place in Bucharest between 11-13 March, 2010. At the same time, on December 3, 2009, the “SOS Infertility” Association took part in the Health Gala organized by Sanatatea TV.
7. In addition to these event- like activities, “front office”, the “SOS Infertility” Association has continued the administrative activity, its “back office” activity, less visible, but not of minor importance: the finalization of the constitutive process of the association (getting a fiscal code, registration with the Registry of Associations and Foundations, opening a bank account, stamps, meetings in view of allocating responsibilities, generating adhesions and involving new members, etc.), updating the website, maintaining the micro community on the forum, offering counseling via email to people suffering from infertility , updating databases, maintaining contacts with partners , joining new events, etc.
Thus, we are referring to a project begun in 2009 which will continue in 2010: The “SOS Infertility” Association has put forward and has been officially invited to become a member of the prestigious “Fertility Europe”, the strongest Pan-European association of patients fighting infertility.
The “SOS Infertility” Association will continue millitating in order to obtain support from Romanian state for couples facing fertility problems and finance for the fertility treatments by the National Health Insurance Agency, as it is normal and as it happens all over the European Union.
The “SOS Infertility” Association
December 31, 2009
