Page 4 - FSANZ WINTER -2022

President’s Report: Next steps in the
Mitochondrial donation looks set to become a reality in Australia ensuring this country remains at the global vanguard of advances in reproductive medicine.
The recent passage of the Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform Bill 2021 through the Federal Parliament follows extensive lobbying by doctors, scientists, ethicists and patient advocates to make mitochondrial donation legal for research, training and human reproductive purposes.
The Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand was an active participant in urging legislative amendments and changes to regulations allowing mitochondrial donation. We will be one of the few countries in the world where this technology will be allowed to move forward.
It will provide reproductive options for women at risk of passing on mitochondrial disease to their offspring. Our Society has stated that Australia has the scientific, clinical and regulatory expertise to ensure the safe introduction of the new technology, but there are some important milestones ahead before it is put into clinical practice.
The next steps include developing the framework and parameters of required funding from the Federal Government and the process of inviting assisted reproductive technology groups or units to present detailed submissions about their credentials to drive research capability.
Ultimately, the legalisation of mitochondrial donation will advance the science and clinical practice of assisted reproduction in Australia enhancing our ability to achieve the best outcomes on behalf of patients.
Congratulations to Professor David Gardner AM
This edition highlights the recent Queen’s Birthday Order of Australia honour to David Gardner AM for his significant service to reproductive medicine and education.
David is a true pioneer in assisted reproduction globally and his membership in the General Division of the Order of Australia is another acknowledgment of his outstanding and inspiring achievements.
David has received many awards from and within learned societies around the world. The Order of Australia honour demonstrates a much broader recognition of his scientific contribution in helping millions of infertile people to fulfil their hopes of parenthood.
On behalf of all members of our Society, I congratulate David on this latest and well-deserved accolade.
Luk Rombauts
FSA 2022 Conference
At last, we have broken free of many of the COVID-19 pandemic shackles to proceed with the Society’s 2022 conference in Sydney, our first face-to-face meeting 2019.
It is exciting to think that we are only days away from this excellent program and the return to the collegiality that has always been such an enjoyable and motivating aspect of our annual conferences.
In my capacity as President of the World Endometriosis Society, I attended the European Endometriosis Congress in Bordeaux, France in June. This event was also postponed after the major disruptions of COVID-19 over the past couple of years, but attendance in Bordeaux was well above expectations.
This demonstrated the great enthusiasm of people to get together again to discuss and explore scientific and medical advances in their fields, and I am sure it will be the same when we gather at the International Convention Centre in Sydney later this month for our conference.
2