Queensland Fertility Group Statement - Response to ABC Reporting 2nd September
Tuesday 2 September 2025
QUEENSLAND FERTILITY GROUP STATEMENT – RESPONSE TO ABC 7.30 REPORT
Queensland Fertility Group (QFG) acknowledges the ABC’s 7.30 Report aired last night. We empathise with the family concerned and recognise the lasting emotional toll this experience has had.
We are disappointed that QFG was not given the opportunity to respond to several of the issues raised in the 7.30 Report and strongly reject the claim aired by the ABC that “99 % of local sperm frozen before 2020 was deemed high risk of not being the person on the label.” This statement is misleading, incorrect and creates unnecessary emotional stress for families.
The use of the phrase “high risk sperm” relates to sperm that has been single witnessed. See page 39 of OHO report “It was found that thousands of samples, frozen before 2020, were determined to be high risk because they did not comply with double witnessing.” There is no indication that single witnessed sperm donations have not been correctly identified nor are there any quality issues with this sperm as confirmed by a Queensland Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO) report.
OHO did not identify any error in the way that these sperm samples have been stored; single witness (identity verification) was the standard process at the time, which has now been superseded by double witnessing. In 2015 QFG changed its policy to require double witnessing of sperm donated. We understand it was later discovered through a 2020 audit that there was an isolated compliance issue with this policy in one lab in QFG. Following this, an employee who did not comply with the policy was terminated and all donor sperm collected since has been double witnessed.
OHO has confirmed QFG’s sperm storage practices were compliant with the standard accepted practices of single witnessing at the time.
We make no single witnessed sperm available for use unless parents wish to extend their families with the same single witnessed sperm and after appropriate counselling. If a family wishes to use embryos previously created using single witnessed sperm, they are permitted to do so and are provided with counselling.
The issues raised in the 7.30 Report occurred under the oversight of a former public company board and management team.
The issues raised by the ABC also predate mandatory adverse event reporting to the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC), and any questions regarding ASX disclosure are a matter for the former board.
QFG continues to meet all RTAC accreditation requirements and strongly supports the Federal Government’s review of IVF regulation. We welcome the development of a national framework that enhances safety, consistency, and transparency across the sector, and remain committed to continuous improvement and the highest standards of care.