Have you ever thought about fertility being compared to gambling at a casino? This is what people are beginning to call fertility clinics due to their newest package deals. These clinics are providing families with the option of paying $20,000-$50,000 more than a single in vitro fertilization, in case the first trial fails. This deal allows women up to three tries to get pregnant if the first time fails, and if they don’t get pregnant their money is refunded.
These clinics provide this option, for the families who most likely will not get pregnant on their first try. But they also are doing this to make more money. According to many test trials done, 87% of woman had success with the implanted embryos the first try, so they lost the gamble (money wise). The physicians have admitted that the extra money made after a one time trial with success of one patient, helps cover the trials of others who take all three trials to get pregnant.
The question of whether this is ethical is very debatable. In my opinion, the way these clinics should be running their package deals, is maybe allowing a partial refund if they are able to get pregnant the first time; rather than their patients feeling totally ripped off. This is also an opinion suggested by people in the article. The families that pay extra and get lucky the first try do not believe it is right for these facilities to pocket the extra money, when they should be using it to provide for their new child. They feel it is unethical because they have already gone through so much heartbreak at this point, most likely due to miscarriages or other unfortunate events.
Personally, the main argument that comes to my mind in a situation like this, is Kant’s categorical imperative. If I were in a situation that made it so I couldn’t have children naturally, I would want the full support of the doctors to give me the best chance I had possible, at a fair price. If it took me all three times to get pregnant, I would be grateful of this opportunity to pay a little less. If it took me only one try though, I would feel it is fair to give some kind of refund as well.
I think these clinics provide awesome opportunities for families unable to have children on their own, but also need a little bit of work in making it a fair and patient-favoring process.
phi325 