Assisted reproductive treatment reform

Reforms announced

On 13 December 2023, the Minister for Health announced reforms to the regulation of assisted reproductive treatment in Victoria will be developed in 2024. This will include transferring responsibility for regulation of assisted reproductive treatment providers from the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA) to the new Health Regulator in the Department of Health.

The Department already regulates thousands of professionals, organisations and businesses across the state, including the regulation of medicines and poisons, health service facilities, safe drinking water, tobacco and e-cigarettes, food safety, child safety, radiation safety, legionella risk management and pest control.

The establishment of the Health Regulator within the Department will centralise responsibility for these areas of regulation.

Reasons for the reforms

The proposed reforms will bring regulation of assisted reproductive treatment in line with other areas that will be regulated by the Health Regulator and ensure there is an effective and sustainable regulatory model for assisted reproductive treatment into the future.

Implementation timeline

The Victorian Government will be developing legislative reforms in 2024 to transfer responsibility for regulation of assisted reproductive treatment from VARTA to the Department of Health.

VARTA will continue to perform its important statutory functions under the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act throughout 2024.

Contact for more information

Please contact the Department through its dedicated inbox: ARTconsultation@health.vic.gov.au There will be opportunities for stakeholders to input on these reforms during 2024.