Fertility giant Monash IVF agrees to settle with families after shocking embryo bungle
Fertility treatment company Monash IVF has agreed to settle with families affected by embryo knots at two of its clinics.
The company was forced to apologize last June after staff at its Clayton clinic in Melbourne transferred a patient’s own embryo to the same patient instead of her partner.
The incident followed a separate error at a clinic in Brisbane in 2023, when staff accidentally inserted the wrong embryo into a patient, resulting in a woman giving birth to another couple’s child.
A spokesman for Monash IVF said the company had resolved or agreed to resolve material claims arising from events previously disclosed to the market.
“We deeply regret the events of 2025 and have taken significant steps to strengthen our security culture and improve oversight across all sites,” a spokesman said.
“We have also worked closely with the regulator to ensure our systems meet and, where possible, exceed required standards and community expectations.
“Patients can be assured that we have learned from these incidents and are taking decisive action to ensure our systems are as rigorous and robust as possible.”
In the company’s six-monthly report to the Australian Securities Exchange, investors were advised that insurers would cover the costs of both claims.
“The group’s insurers confirmed claims arising from both incidents under the terms and conditions of the relevant policies,” a report said.
“The directors do not expect any material risks to arise in connection with these matters.”
Last year, CEO Michael Knapp resigned following scandals.
The company conducted an independent review of the incidents and took steps to implement measures to reduce risk across the organization.
