Here’s How IVF Can Be More Affordable

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Getting pregnant isn’t easy for all of us and the price tag on fertility treatments certainly doesn’t make it any easier. We know that struggling to conceive can be taxing emotionally, physically and financially which is why we’re here to tell you about an opportunity you may have overlooked or prematurely written off. We’re talking about in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinical trials.

Clinical trials are research studies that investigate whether a medical strategy or treatment approach is safe and effective. It is a form of research that studies either a new medication, technology or protocol before it’s available to the general population. While many patients fear that ‘clinical trial participant’ is synonymous with ‘medical guinea pig,’ it’s worth noting that this a huge misconception holding a lot of people back. In fact, clinical IVF trials are generally safe and often just as effective as currently available fertility treatments – and the trial participant receives deeply discounted medications and treatment.

Granted, not all fertility clinics have the ability to run clinical trials. However, one local clinic, Main Line Fertility has an entire division of their practice specifically dedicated to running carefully monitored clinical trials. Strict protocols must be followed and all patients are under the vigilant care of Main Line Fertility physicians, adds Eileen Davies, director of clinical research trials at Main Line Fertility.

“Typically, we are looking for generally healthy patients – those without any systemic disease, within a certain BMI weight range, usually nonsmokers – who are experiencing infertility and need in vitro fertilization,” explains Davies.

Main Line Fertility has been running clinical trials for more than ten years. Additionally, their highly experienced clinical trial team has decades of combined clinical research experience. Also, all the trials Main Line Fertility runs are phase two and phase three trials. These studies have already been thoroughly tested and in many cases, the medicines and technologies are already being used in other countries. It’s very common the treatments simply need to attain FDA approval and require clinical testing in order to give American patients access to these medications.

It Can Make Treatment More Affordable

IVF clinical trials are typically sponsored by large pharmaceutical companies that offer financial support for the project. Since the sponsors are able to assist the facility and the participants financially, it results in discounted rates for clinical trials that can save the participants up to thousands of dollars in fertility treatments. Since many couples do not have IVF coverage in their insurance plans, it’s another added benefit to participating in clinical trials.

You’re Helping Future Fertility Patients

While the medicines and technologies tested in clinical IVF trials are already being used outside the United States. It could include new drugs that are not approved by the FDA, new technologies that can help improve certain diseases or problems of couples experiencing infertility. By participating in a clinical trial, you’re helping advance medicine that could help future patients with infertility issues.

Cutting Edge Treatments

Lastly, since the point of IVF trials is to prove effectiveness and not to show that one drug performs better than another, it means there is rarely a placebo group. Participants are also gaining access to cutting-edge medicine and technology they otherwise wouldn’t be privileged to.

Interested in participating in a clinical IVF trial? Visit Main Line Fertility for more information.