Alabama governor comes out to ‘protect’ IVF treatments and providers

A month after Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling raised concerns over future of vitro fertilization providers the Gov. Kay Ivey has come out to protect citizens’ rights with a new legislation.

Alabama Gov. has signed a new legislature to protect providers from lawsuits and criminal prosecution for the “damage or death of an embryo” during IVF services.

Earlier the Alabama Supreme Court had ruled that embryos are children, leading to concerns about civil liabilities for clinics and prompted an outcry from patients and other groups.

The decision triggered wide outcry across the country and as a result three major IVF providers had paused services. Patients in Alabama also shared stories about having upcoming embryo transfers abruptly canceled and their paths to parenthood put in doubt.

“I am pleased to sign this important, short-term measure into law so that couples in Alabama hoping and praying to be parents can grow their families through IVF,” said Ivey, a Republican.

Cheering the decision Republican Sen. Tim Melson, who sponsored the bill, said he was “just elated to get these ladies back on schedule.”

Doctors from Alabama Fertility, one of the clinics that had paused IVF services, watched as the bill got final passage. They said it will allow them to resume embryo transfers “starting tomorrow.”