Thursday, February 11, 2010

“Older mothers can pay five times more for IVF babies-study (Reuters via Yahoo! News)” plus 3 more

“Older mothers can pay five times more for IVF babies-study (Reuters via Yahoo! News)” plus 3 more

Older mothers can pay five times more for IVF babies-study (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 08:16 PM PST

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SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) – Older women can end up paying more than five times as much as younger women to successfully have an IVF baby, according to an Australian study.

Researchers from the University of Sydney set out to examine a boom in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproduction techniques amid a debate on whether the government should subsidize such treatments.

They found that the cost per live birth from IVF increases with maternal age and the number of treatments, with the study finding that maternal age had the greater effect.

The price per baby ranged from A$27,373-A$31,986 ($24,310 to $28,407) for women aged 30-33 on their first and third IVF treatments compared to $130,951-$187,515 (US$116,300 to $116,300) for women aged 42-45 on their first and second IVF attempts.

"This evidence may help decision-makers target the use of IVF services conditional on societal willingness to pay for live births and equity considerations," said researcher Alison Griffiths in a statement.

The government-funded study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, found from 2002 to 2003 there was a 16 percent increase in the use of assisted production technology, or ART, services among Australians compared with an increase of 13 percent among Europeans and 6.5 percent among Americans.

IVF expert Dr. Edmond Confino, of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, said the Australian study confirmed other research of the past 20 years -- namely, that the cost to produce a baby with IVF increases with a woman's age.

But he voiced concerns that research emphasizing poor outcomes in older women could lead to discrimination against women and prompt policy makers to cap the age for women eligible for government or other assistance.

"In other words, they will say it is not economical to provide you with IVF coverage if you are say 38 and above because that's the age when it becomes very expensive," Confino told Reuters Health.

But Griffiths said in Australia only 9 percent of women starting IVF in 2002 were aged 42 to 45, "which means that the total financial impact of IVF for this age group would be expected to be substantially lower than for younger women."

She added that if the government started restricting age on IVF, some couples may opt to have "more embryos transferred per cycle earlier, leading to higher costs and potentially poorer outcomes due to multiple births."

(Reporting by Howard Wolinksy of Reuters Health, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)

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IVF costs higher for older women: Australian study (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 01:37 PM PST

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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In Australia, a boom in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproduction techniques prompted a heated debate in 2006 on whether government should subsidize the treatments.

In a government-funded study just published in the journal Human Reproduction, researchers from Australia explored policy options to control costs.

Their research suggests that cost per live birth from IVF increases with maternal age and number of treatments and shows that maternal age has the greater effect.

"This evidence," Alison Griffiths from The University of Sydney in Camperdown and colleagues say, "may help decision-makers target the use of IVF services conditional on societal willingness to pay for live births and equity considerations."

Despite the findings that poorer outcomes occurred in older women and with great numbers of IVF attempts, the Australian government ultimately decided to continue to subsidize the procedures.

With relatively unrestricted access to fertility services and limits on medical expenses borne by patients, Australian government expenditures on assisted reproduction more than doubled from 2000 to 2005 -- from AU$66.3 million to $156.1 million (US$207.4 million).

From 2002 to 2003, there was a 16 percent increase in the use of assisted production technology, or ART, services among Australians compared with an increase of 13 percent among Europeans and 6.5 percent among Americans.

Griffiths and colleagues found that the price per baby ranged from AU$27,373 to $31,986 (US$36,365 to $42,493) for women 30 to 33 years old on their first and third IVF treatments to AU$130,951 to $187,515 (US$173,968 to $249,114) for 42 to 45-year-old women on their first and second IVF attempts.

"This information is useful for clinicians and consumers to discuss the relative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ART by age and treatment cycle number," Sarah J. Lord, a University of Sydney epidemiologist and co-author on the study noted in an email to Reuters Health. However, the current study was not designed to guide clinical practice, she emphasized.

IVF expert Dr. Edmond Confino, of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, who was not involved in the research, said the Australian study again confirms what has been found in other research over the past 20 years - namely, that the cost to produce a baby with IVF increases with a woman's age.

Confino expressed concerns that research emphasizing poor outcomes in older women could boomerang and lead to discrimination against women. He fears that such findings could lead policy makers to cap the age for women eligible for ART.

"In other words, they will say it is not economical to provide you with IVF coverage if you are say 38 and above because that's the age when it becomes very expensive. That's a discriminatory practice, equivalent of telling you you're not going to get a heart repair procedure," Confino noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health.

Currently in the U.S., only 15 states have laws requiring insurance coverage for infertility treatment. Confino said many of the laws have loopholes that exempt insurance from covering IVF. For example, he said some states exempt self-insured companies and small employers from the laws. Also, he said some insurers limit the number of IVF attempts.

Griffiths and her colleagues say their findings wouldn't automatically lead to ART restrictions in Australia. "It is notable," they wrote, "that Australia currently supports a policy to encourage population growth, which includes a baby bonus payment to couples with newborn infants. Unrestricted funding of fertility services may therefore be consistent with a high value per live birth."

A high incremental cost per live birth may also be considered acceptable in older age groups if the potential population of interest is comparatively small compared with younger groups, the researchers add. In Australia, they explain, only 9 percent of women starting IVF in 2002 were aged 42 to 45, "which means that the total financial impact of IVF for this age group would be expected to be substantially lower than for younger women."

If government started restricting age on IVF, some couples may opt to have "more embryos transferred per cycle earlier, leading to higher costs and potentially poorer outcomes due to multiple births," they point out.

SOURCE: Human Reproduction, January 26, 2010

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DIAGNOS Announces the Conclusion of a Study for Typhoon (Marketwire)

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 06:39 AM PST

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BROSSARD, QUEBEC, CANADA--(Marketwire - Feb. 11, 2010) - DIAGNOS inc. ("DIAGNOS" or "the Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:ADK), a leader in the use of artificial intelligence and advanced knowledge extraction techniques, announces today the results from a study carried out by DIAGNOS' team, which utilized CARDS prediction system, for Typhoon (TSX VENTURE:TYP). The results are published on DIAGNOS website.

On a regional scale, CARDS new prediction methods (C-Cluster & AGEO), developed by DIAGNOS' team, revealed the presence of a major anomaly located 700 metres east of the McDonald showing, and potentially corresponding to a porphyry-type gold mineralization. This anomaly lies north of a high probability zone previously identified with Gocad. Previous drilling carried out in 1997 by Minerai Lac (AIG-97-08, AIG-97-14 and AIG-97-15) south of the DIAGNOS anomaly showed the auriferous potential of the area with assay results of 441 ppb Au over 8.63 m (AIG-97-08) and 1698 ppb Au over 3.25 m (AIG-97-15). Drillhole AIG-97-14 has been re-verified and re-assayed by TYPHOON's team. The principal lithology towards the end of the survey is a hematized, albitized porphyric intrusion containing a stockwerk network of quartz veins. The intrusion is mineralized with fine euhedral cubic pyrite and trace chalcopyrite. An important section of 33 metres which had not been analyzed was split in half using a diamond saw and sent for assay. The results obtained were significantly anomalous with gold values ranging from 100 to 300 ppb.

The presence of DIAGNOS' anomaly opens up a new exploration grounds with auriferous potential 700 m east of the McDonald showing and 1000 m east of the Fayolle deposit. Historical drilling south of the anomaly confirms the potential for gold in the area.

Mr. Robert Gagnon, P. Geo., Technical Advisor, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the information in this news release.

About DIAGNOS

Founded in 1998, DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation (TSX VENTURE:ADK), with a mission to commercialize technologies combining contextual imaging and traditional data mining thereby improving decision-making processes. DIAGNOS offers products, services, and solutions to clients in a variety of fields including healthcare, natural resources, and entertainment.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

For further information, please visit our website at www.diagnos.com or the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

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DIAGNOS Announces the Conclusion of a Study for Typhoon (CCNMatthews via Yahoo! Finance)

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 06:30 AM PST

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BROSSARD, QUEBEC, CANADA--(Marketwire - Feb. 11, 2010) - DIAGNOS inc. ("DIAGNOS" or "the Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:ADK - News), a leader in the use of artificial intelligence and advanced knowledge extraction techniques, announces today the results from a study carried out by DIAGNOS' team, which utilized CARDS prediction system, for Typhoon (TSX VENTURE:TYP - News). The results are published on DIAGNOS website.

On a regional scale, CARDS new prediction methods (C-Cluster & AGEO), developed by DIAGNOS' team, revealed the presence of a major anomaly located 700 metres east of the McDonald showing, and potentially corresponding to a porphyry-type gold mineralization. This anomaly lies north of a high probability zone previously identified with Gocad. Previous drilling carried out in 1997 by Minerai Lac (AIG-97-08, AIG-97-14 and AIG-97-15) south of the DIAGNOS anomaly showed the auriferous potential of the area with assay results of 441 ppb Au over 8.63 m (AIG-97-08) and 1698 ppb Au over 3.25 m (AIG-97-15). Drillhole AIG-97-14 has been re-verified and re-assayed by TYPHOON's team. The principal lithology towards the end of the survey is a hematized, albitized porphyric intrusion containing a stockwerk network of quartz veins. The intrusion is mineralized with fine euhedral cubic pyrite and trace chalcopyrite. An important section of 33 metres which had not been analyzed was split in half using a diamond saw and sent for assay. The results obtained were significantly anomalous with gold values ranging from 100 to 300 ppb.

The presence of DIAGNOS' anomaly opens up a new exploration grounds with auriferous potential 700 m east of the McDonald showing and 1000 m east of the Fayolle deposit. Historical drilling south of the anomaly confirms the potential for gold in the area.

Mr. Robert Gagnon, P. Geo., Technical Advisor, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the information in this news release.

About DIAGNOS

Founded in 1998, DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation (TSX VENTURE:ADK - News), with a mission to commercialize technologies combining contextual imaging and traditional data mining thereby improving decision-making processes. DIAGNOS offers products, services, and solutions to clients in a variety of fields including healthcare, natural resources, and entertainment.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

For further information, please visit our website at www.diagnos.com or the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

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