Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
IVF Treatment Should Cost Less, Trump Says In Latest Executive Order
The Hill: Trump Signs Executive Order To Reduce IVF Treatment Costs
President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order directing federal agencies to find ways to reduce the high cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. The order directs the Domestic Policy Council to make recommendations “on how to ensure reliable access to IVF,” according to a White House fact sheet. It sets a 90-day deadline for the recommendations to be submitted. (Weixel, 2/18)
Axios: Trump's Order May Rekindle IVF Debate Among Conservatives
President Trump's order to expand access to in vitro fertilization will test Republican solidarity on an issue that split GOP ranks in the run-up to the election. Why it matters: IVF is generally enjoys broad support among Americans, including many conservatives, but at times has been problematic for some in the anti-abortion movement, who object to the destruction of surplus embryos created through the process. (Reed, 2/19)
NBC News: Woman Sues IVF Clinic After She Birthed Another Couple’s Baby
A 38-year-old woman is suing the fertility clinic she used to conceive a child after the wrong embryo was implanted in her, resulting in a shocking discovery as soon as the infant was born, according to a lawsuit. The suit, filed Tuesday in Georgia state court, alleges that Krystena Murray “unknowingly and unwillingly carried a child through pregnancy who was not biologically related to her,” something she learned only once she delivered the baby boy. Murray then had to give custody of the baby to his biological parents five months later, adding to her trauma, the suit says. (Sridhar and Chuck, 2/19)
On pregnancy and abortion —
The Hill: Missouri Proposes Registry For Pregnant Mothers
Legislation introduced in Missouri would create a list of “at risk” pregnant women in the state in order to “reduce the number of preventable abortions.” House Bill 807, nicknamed the “Save MO Babies Act,” was proposed by Republican state Rep. Phil Amato. The bill summary states that, if passed, Missouri would create a registry of every expecting mother in the state “who is at risk for seeking an abortion” starting July 1, 2026. The list would be created through the Maternal and Child Services division of the Department of Social Services, but the measure did not specify how the “at risk” would be identified. (Mueller, 2/18)
CBS News: Planned Parenthood Of Illinois Expands Access To Medication Abortion Through App
Planned Parenthood of Illinois is expanding abortion access using medication through an app, less than a month after announcing it would close four clinics, including one in Chicago. Patients can use the PPDirect app to get birth control, emergency contraception, treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs), at-home testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and medication abortion. (Feurer, 2/18)
