A prominent fertility group recently made a mistake by transferring the wrong embryo to a patient, marking the second such incident they have apologized for in recent months. Monash IVF disclosed that the error occurred on June 5 at their laboratory in Clayton, Melbourne, in an announcement to the ASX.

The patient received the wrong embryo, which was supposed to be from the patient's partner, according to the treatment plan. Monash IVF expressed their apologies to the affected couple and assured ongoing support for them.

Earlier this year, the company faced a similar situation where a Brisbane patient was implanted with the wrong embryo. This mix-up was only realized in February after the birth parents requested to transfer their remaining frozen embryos to another provider.

Following the recent incident, Monash IVF is conducting an internal investigation and expanding an independent review into the Brisbane case. They are implementing additional verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards to enhance confidence in their procedures.

The company has reported the incident to relevant regulatory bodies and insurers, anticipating coverage under their insurance policy. The share price of Monash IVF dropped after the previous incident was made public and is expected to face further scrutiny regarding assisted reproductive technology regulations in Australia.

Lucy Lines, a fertility educator and advocate, emphasized the need for embryologists to be registered, similar to other medical professionals. She expressed concerns over the recent IVF errors and highlighted the lack of a registration board for embryologists in Australia.

Dr. Alex Polyakov, a fertility specialist, acknowledged the seriousness of the second embryo transfer error and stressed the importance of continuous review and commitment to patient safety. He reassured the public that despite rare incidents, the IVF systems in Australia remain strong and responsive to challenges.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has raised the issue of IVF sector regulation at an upcoming health ministers' meeting. He expressed sympathy for the affected families and emphasized the need to prevent such errors from occurring in the future.