The ordinance signed by the state secretary of Health, Ana Povo, increases the reimbursement rate for medicines intended for infertility treatment, especially regarding medically assisted procreation, from 69% to 90%.

“The medicines covered by the exceptional regime provided for in this decree can only be prescribed by doctors in the context of infertility treatment, with the prescribing doctor having to include, in the prescription, an express mention of this decree”, reads the diploma.

Contacted by Lusa agency, the executive director of the Portuguese Fertility Association, Joana Freire, welcomed this measure, stating that it will “ease the financial burden” of people who need to undergo these treatments.

Joana Freire said that the association met, in July, with Ana Povo, adding that one of the topics under discussion was precisely the increase in the reimbursement rate for these medicines, the last update of which had taken place on June 1, 2009, passing at the time from 37% to the current 69%.

“The journey of infertility already has its toll not only psychologically, but also financially and it was one of the things that we would really like to achieve (…) and we achieved it”, said the person in charge, highlighting that “medication is still a big cost in infertility journey.”

These are “very expensive” medications, which can cost more than 400 euros, which represents “a great financial burden” for a couple or even a single woman who wants to fulfil their desire to have a child and often needs to resort to several attempts of treatment.

Despite there not being “a completely reliable study” on the increase in infertility in Portugal, Joana Freire said that more and more couples are coming to the association: “That means something. It means there is an increase in infertility."

The Portuguese Fertility Association warns in a statement that access to Medically Assisted Procreation (PMA) treatments remains unequal in the country.

“The citizens of Alentejo and Algarve continue to travel hundreds of kilometres to seek help in public centres located in the Lisbon, Center and North areas of the country”, says the president of the association, considering that “the increase in the reimbursement rate for medicines will be a relevant measure to mitigate the financial effort of these people”.

The association has been making efforts to raise awareness among the Government about the need to look at infertility as a priority area, having warned, in June, of the need to change the law in order to preserve embryos and gametes donated anonymously and which would be destroyed under the law of 2018.