In-vitro pioneer resigns

Press, 18 June 1986, Page 8

In-vitro pioneer resigns

PA Auckland Dr Freddie Graham, who pioneered the testtube baby programme in New Zealand, is quitting his job at National Women’s Hospital. He said yesterday that after 11 years in the public hospital system he was “burnt out and tired of banging his head against a brick wall fighting for more resources.” Dr Graham will leave the hospital in November. He plans to spend several months visiting infertility clinics in Australia before returning to Auckland to join Dr Richard Fisher, a part-time consultant at National Women’s Hospital, who is setting up New Zealand’s first private infertility clinic. Dr Graham says he is sad to leave National Women’s Hospital, but a lack of resources was frustrating the in-vitro fertilisation programme. He blamed the Govern-

ment’s refusal to spend more on health care. Dr Graham said he was “fed up” with having constantly to say "I’m soiry” to couples often angry or distressed over the eight year waiting list for invitro fertilisation. “Twenty years ago we could do very little to help infertile couples. Now we can do almost everything,” he said. “It is very frustrating working in an environment where you know of all these things — and could be doing them but for the lack of a relatively small amount of money.” The demand is so great that Dr Graham is referring increasing numbers of women, especially those over 32, either to Australia or to the private clinic. Getting on to the A.I.D. (artificial insemination by donor) programme also took two to three years, he said.