August 2018

Governor Rauner to Sign HB 2617- Providing Insurance Coverage for Oncofertility Patients in IL

On August 27, 2018, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner will sign in to law HB2617, which will ensure insurance covereage for oncofertility and fertility preservation patients. Illinois will join five other states that have passed similar legislation. This is a huge milestone for the field and on behalf of the Oncofertility Consortium, we congratulate the advocates, patients, and others who worked tirelessly to make sure this important bill was signed in to law.  A special thanks to our own Kristin Smith and Megan Connolly who attended multiple hearings, appeared multiple times before the House and Senate, and shared their personal stories to move this important issue forward. They are outstanding advocates and representatives for the entire field and none of this would have been possible without their dedication and hardwork. 

Simplify Cancer Podcast: Your Fertility Options Before Treatment

Dr. Mahmoud Salama, an active member of the Oncofertility Consortium and OPEN, recently represented the Consortium during a podcast interview where he discussed fertility preservation options for cancer patients. The interview appeared on the Simplify Cancer Podcast, a podcast for cancer patients and survivors that features a cancer fighter, survivor, or medical expert each episode. During the podcast, Dr. Salama discussed raising oncofertility awareness among patients and detailed the available fertility preservation options for both men and women. Click here to listen to the podcast in its entirety. 

1st Royan Symposium on Oncofertility

Members of the Oncofertility Professional Engagment Network (OPEN) from Iran recently hosted their first ever Sypomisum on Oncofertility in June. The Royan Symposium on Oncofertility was held on June 21, 2018 in Tehran, Iran. The Symposium was jointly organized by Royan Institute and with cooperation from the Supportive care hospital for cancerous children (Mahak Charity). The recent Symposium addressed basic scientific and clinic themes in cancer patients. The meeting was attended by scientific and medical clinical experts, and researchers from the various fields of embryology, oncology, gynecology, andrology, epidemiology, and other researchers in reproductive fields. Attached is the entire report from the Symposium. Congratulations to our colleagues for hosting this first of its kind meeting in Iran!