FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kallie Fell, MS, BSN, RN
Center for Bioethics and Culture
Email: kallie.fell@cbc-network.org
Website: www.cbc-network.org

October 16, 2025

Center for Bioethics and Culture Responds to President Trump’s Announcement on Fertility Care in the United States: Making IVF More Accessible 

San Francisco, CA — The Center for Bioethics and Culture (CBC) takes note of President Trump’s press conference today announcing new initiatives aimed at making in vitro fertilization (IVF) more accessible by reducing drug costs and encouraging employer-provided fertility benefits. While the press conference was framed as a compassionate response to the pain of infertility, it regrettably lacked meaningful discussion of the ethical, medical, and social consequences of expanding IVF access. It is encouraging to see national attention directed toward those struggling to conceive, but deeply concerning that the conversation seems to prioritize technological solutions over restorative approaches to reproductive health. The CBC maintains that true compassion requires confronting the risks, moral questions, and long-term effects of widespread dependence on assisted reproductive technologies, including IVF and third-party reproduction. With these concerns in mind, we turn to the key aspects of the announcement and their potential impacts—both promising and troubling—on reproductive health, access, and ethical practice to so many Americans who are overwhelmed by the sorrow of infertility.

Key Aspects of the Announcement:

  • Drug Pricing Agreement: The administration has reached a deal with pharmaceutical company EMD Serono to reduce the cost of certain fertility medications, such as Gonal-f, by up to 84%. These discounted drugs will be available through a new government-backed platform, TrumpRx, set to launch in early 2026.
  • Employer-Provided Fertility Benefits: New federal guidance encourages employers to offer fertility benefits directly to employees, independent of traditional insurance coverage through a New Benefit Option. This approach aims to make fertility care, including IVF, more accessible, particularly for small businesses through stand-alone benefits packages.
  • Fast-Tracking Drug Approvals: The administration plans to expedite the approval process for additional fertility drugs, such as Pergoveris, under a new National Priority Voucher program.

Ethical Considerations:

While CBC supports efforts to address infertility, we urge caution and comprehensive consideration of the ethical dimensions involved. We understand that President Trump’s announcement is not limited to IVF, but the promotion of IVF and third-party reproduction raises significant concerns, including:

  • Health Risks:The administration has repeatedly emphasized its goal of producing “more healthy babies.” However, IVF does not inherently guarantee healthier children. In the corresponding Fact Sheet, it states:

    “Fertility benefit companies poised to offer such benefit packages report nearly 25% higher live birth rates among women using these benefits than those seeking care without such benefits.”

    It is important to note that an increase in live births does not automatically equate to healthier children or healthier outcomes for mothers. Recent data suggests that IVF pregnancies are associated with higher risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, congenital malformations, increased risks for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, epigenetic differences, and other complications or risks for both children and mothers. Oversimplifying this message risks misleading hopeful parents. IVF treatments are associated with various health risks for women, such as, but not limited to, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, multiple pregnancies, preeclampsia, placental complications, emotional and psychological stress, and long-term health complications. The use of fertility drugs, even at discounted rates, does not eliminate these risks.

  • Ethical Implications of Third-Party Reproduction: The proposal does not explicitly exclude the use of third-party reproduction (including surrogacy). This raises complex ethical questions, including the potential commercialization of women’s bodies, legal and parental rights, and the welfare of children born via surrogacy or gamete donation. The use of donor gametes and surrogacy introduces complex ethical issues related to the commodification of human life, the rights of children conceived through these methods, and the potential for exploitation.
  • Access for Single Individuals and Expanding Definitions of Infertility: Some definitions of infertility include anyone unable to conceive without medical assistance, which could extend to single men seeking donor eggs or surrogacy. CBC raises serious ethical concerns about expanding fertility services in this way. Providing assisted reproduction to individuals who would not naturally be unable to conceive risks prioritizing convenience or personal desire over the well-being of women, children, and families, and may contribute to the commercialization and medicalization of reproduction.
  • Emotional and Psychological Impact: IVF can be emotionally taxing for individuals and couples, including stress, anxiety, and depression associated with treatment and outcomes. While we recognize the intention to reduce financial barriers for those struggling with infertility, CBC reminds individuals of the emotional and psychological impact of climbing onto the fertility industry complex roller coaster.
  • Egg Donors and Egg Freezing: Expanded IVF access and employer-provided fertility benefits may increase pressure on women to donate eggs or freeze their own eggs for future use. This raises significant ethical concerns about potential coercion—whether social, professional, or financial—as women may feel obligated to participate to meet workplace expectations or benefit from employer coverage. Additionally, commercialization of egg donation can commodify women’s reproductive capacity, treating gametes as a marketable resource rather than a deeply personal and medical matter. Repeated egg retrieval carries health risks, including ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, surgical complications, and long-term reproductive consequences. Policymakers, healthcare providers, and employers must carefully weigh these risks and ethical considerations before promoting widespread egg donation or elective egg freezing as part of fertility benefits.
  • Decreased Costs and Increased Demand: Lowering the cost of IVF drugs and treatments is likely to increase demand for assisted reproduction. As more couples and individuals pursue IVF, a greater number of embryos will be created, many of which will remain frozen for extended periods. This raises serious ethical questions regarding the storage, management, and ultimate disposition of these embryos. Decisions about whether to donate, discard, or use embryos for research involve profound moral considerations, including the potential commodification of human life, the emotional and psychological burden on parents, and the long-term responsibility for embryos that may remain in cryopreservation for years or decades. Policymakers and providers must consider whether expanding access without addressing these questions is ethically responsible.

Opportunities:

Fortunately, reproductive healthcare encompasses far more than IVF. With President Trump’s initiatives, Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM) now has the potential to reach couples nationwide seeking answers and hope. Employers can now offer benefit packages that address the continuum of fertility-related services, including those that address the root causes of infertility in men and women. The CBC will continue advocating for policies that go beyond financial incentives, prioritizing the health, dignity, and well-being of women, children, and families. Fertility policy must be guided by ethical, medical, and emotional considerations. We urge policymakers to engage in open dialogue with bioethicists, healthcare professionals, and affected communities to ensure policies reflect these priorities.

As we emphasized in our January response to the President’s executive order on fertility care: “At CBC, we believe that every child deserves to be conceived in a way that respects the dignity of all parties involved. We encourage policymakers, healthcare providers, and the public to engage in thoughtful discussions about the ethics of assisted reproductive technologies and their potential impacts on women’s health and child welfare.”

With careful consideration and ethical guidance, President Trump’s proposals could be implemented in a way that supports the revitalization of healthy mothers and healthy babies across the country.

For more information about the Center for Bioethics and Culture and our mission, please visit www.cbc-network.orgor contact Kallie Fell at kallie.fell@cbc-network.org

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