Failure to exchange embryos in Assuta Rishon Lezion:
The hearing for Assuta Rishon, which was chaired by Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of the medical division at the Ministry of Health, dealt with the question of whether there is a danger to public health as a result of the activity in the insemination unit at the hospital. This is a hearing that anticipates the future, and does not examine the activity which was in the past.
"What led us is to do what is right for the patients in the broad aspect. That is, the goal is to look at all the patients at Assuta first. An easy decision could have been made to close the place, but it would have seriously harmed the patient and that seems wrong to us," said Prof. Nachman Ash.
"The activity of the Ministry of Health was in four tracks: a spot inquiry regarding the potential parents, the lead was Assuta's because they understand and we assisted them in the investigation, we made the decision not to continue down this path. Later we carried out a comprehensive audit immediately and quickly. Various failures arose, following which a process was decided, which is important to me To say that some of the malfunctions and failures were fixed by Assuta Rishon and some of the things are a long-term part. The third channel is the inspection committee on behalf of the Ministry of Health. This committee can reach recommendations and conclusions, can expand the inspection as they see fit. The fourth channel is a systemic examination of fertility treatments in Israel. One of the findings was the load in Asuta first, and in the system as a whole, and the load is greater in the private system, and requires thinking about what to do with that which increases the risk.
In vitro fertilization (illustration), photo: GettyImages
"The goal was to examine the balance between private and public and what are the factors that prioritize the private system and whether it is necessary to change it. Is this happening because of the preference to choose the therapist."
Dr. Hagar Mizrahi emphasized that "the most important thing was the well-being of the patients."
We observed the employees in order to try and understand whether the work processes are processes that conform to the standards.
After the control report was submitted, we decided to go through a hearing procedure to give the institution the opportunity to come and tell. The process was long and comprehensive in which the heads of Assuta presented to us and we were asked quite a few questions to verify the small things and details.
About a week after the hearing, I visited the lab itself to see and get an impression.
Today, the decision to reduce the scope of activity by 50% was passed to the Assuta management.
Decrease from 10,000 treatment cycles to 5,000 cycles.
Later, we will check whether things have been corrected and it will be possible to increase the number of cycles."
The tools available to the Ministry of Health range from the extreme step of revoking the operation license of the IVF unit, while at the other end the hearing may also end with the unit's activity returning to normal.
Steps will be taken against the fertility department.
Illustration, photo: GettyImages
"We put the number of treatment cycles at six cycles per day. On the order of magnitude of one treatment cycle per hour. As soon as we reduce the activity cycles, it is correct to let those patients who completed the process there complete the process. We stopped accepting new patients in Assuta. We still do not allow new patients to be accepted ".
Prof. Ash added that "it's not right to close the department. It would harm the patients. Closing it is like saying - there was a malfunction in the emergency room, so let's close the emergency room. We checked that the process is safe and not prone to malfunctions."
"Enough for backup to the hospital"
Assuta Victims Patient Forum said in response: "The Ministry of Health prefers, and not for the first time, to "disappear" the victims, to skip over them - as if the terrible omission did not shake their lives. The Ministry of Health must understand that life is not a reality show. We are the victims, we have been awake at night for weeks , enough for the full backup to the hospital which was allegedly conducted with shocking negligence.
"We are calling and demanding from the Ministry of Health: Enough of the jarring silence! Talk to us and explain to us what is happening, give us answers to all the difficult questions to which we have so far not received an answer. Show us with full transparency that the omission is being seriously and thoroughly investigated, because at the moment, on the face of it, the impression is given that the Ministry of Health is doing One hand with Assuta in an apparent effort to take this horrible event off the agenda and dwarf it. It will not work. We are here to get answers, and we will not be silent until we get them. Enough of the lawlessness and enough of covering up the facts."
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