Alabama Governor Signs IVF Protection Bill

Alabama Governor Signs, IVF Protection Bill .

On March 6, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation aimed at protecting in vitro fertilization patients and providers from legal liability.

CNN reports that some clinics are ready to lift a hold on certain IVF services as early as this week.

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The Alabama bill comes after an unprecedented state Supreme Court ruling cast the future of IVF care into doubt.

The Supreme Court case reportedly stemmed from the accidental destruction of frozen embryos at a fertility clinic.

The state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are human beings, meaning that those who destroy them could be held liable for wrongful death.

The latest bill signed into law by the governor aims to provide both civil and criminal immunity to providers and patients in the case of embryos being damaged or destroyed.

However, the fertility clinics say that the new law doesn't address the core issue and fails to provide the legal protection necessary to resume care.

The law does not nullify the Supreme Court’s analysis that says the law ought to treat embryos just like people, Katherine Kraschel, assistant professor at Northeastern University School of Law, via CNN.

CNN reports that experts have warned that the latest bill could also insulate providers from standard medical malpractice claims. The governor stressed that the new law is meant to be a "short-term measure" and reassured that "there will be more work to come" on ensuring IVF protections.