Push for National IVF Regulation Grows
Michael Knaap, the CEO of Monash IVF, has resigned in the wake of a series of damaging embryo mix-ups and a controversial genetic testing class action, sparking renewed calls for national regulation of Australia’s assisted reproductive and fertility industry.
Knaap’s departure, confirmed via a statement to the ASX on Thursday morning, comes just days after a woman was mistakenly implanted with the wrong embryo at Monash’s Clayton clinic. This incident followed another case in Brisbane, where a woman gave birth to a stranger’s child due to a prior embryo transfer mix-up. On top of the $56 million class action settlement in 2023 involving faulty genetic testing, public confidence in Monash IVF has eroded.
Health professionals, regulators and patient advocacy groups are now demanding reform.
Victoria leads call for national oversight
Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, who has strongly criticised Monash IVF’s clinical governance, has announced she will advocate for a national accreditation and licensing scheme for fertility providers. Her proposal will be tabled at a meeting of Australian health ministers in Melbourne later this year.
“Monash IVF has a lot of work to do to win back public trust and confidence,” she said. “There needs to be greater national consistency to strengthen regulation across Australia.”
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler echoed these concerns, saying the latest mix-up was “incredibly distressing” and confirmed that IVF sector regulation would be on the agenda at the upcoming meeting.
Financial pressure triggers leadership shake-up
While the resignation of Knaap may signal accountability, critics say financial fallout — not patient welfare — was the key reason for his departure. A major shareholder indicated it was watching developments closely, while analysts pointed to the company’s plummeting share price and media scrutiny as decisive factors.
Helen Bird, a corporate law lecturer at Swinburne University, noted:
“The nature of a listed company is that it’s driven by shareholder returns. This situation shows the weakness of focusing entirely on profit at the expense of long-term sustainability, especially when trust is fundamental.”
Monash IVF’s board acknowledged Knaap’s service since 2019, during which time he oversaw major growth — but also presided over the now-infamous genetic testing failure, which may have caused the unnecessary discarding of healthy embryos.
CFO Malik Jainudeen has been appointed as acting CEO.
Fertility advocates demand more than apologies
Michelle Galea, founder of Australian Fertility Treatment Families, warned that the resignation alone was “not enough.”
“We need a national regulator. This isn’t just about one clinic — I’ve supported families across the country facing similar issues,” she said. “Some people have been trying for a child for 10 years. This can’t keep happening.”
The Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand has also weighed in, claiming that transparency, rigorous investigation, and sector-wide learning were essential to rebuilding public trust.
Where to from here?
Despite the leadership change, serious questions remain. What did the Monash IVF board know, and when? Were risk-management failures ignored? And what safeguards are in place to ensure such errors never happen again?
Until these questions are answered, the push for stronger national oversight will only grow louder.
Related reading: Monash IVF Embryo Mix-Up
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