Marcos Horton, MD, IFFS Treasurer

In 2012, the Interamerican Court for Human Rights ruled in favor of allowing IVF in Costa Rica (previously banned). In the following years private practice clinics
have opened in the country and IVF activity has been rapidly increasing ever since.
In July 2019, health authorities in Costa Rica created a public Reproductive Medicine Unit (Unidad de Medicina Reproductiva de Alta Complejidad, UMRAC) in the Hospital de las Mujeres Dr. Adolfo Carit Eva, a public Hospital in downtown San José.
As part of the implementation of public IVF services in Costa Rica, the UMRAC started a validation process and chose IFFS as an external organization to provide consulting services in the implementation of the first round of patients undergoing ART procedures.

An IFFS consulting task force was assembled to assess, evaluate, and
collaborate in the medical and embryological aspects of ART, quality control, and quality assurance protocols, and general safety and efficacy strategies to be implemented.

A team of six experts was selected to assist the medical and laboratory staff in Costa Rica during a threeweek period spanning September to October 2019. The IFFS team members are:
• Embryologists: Rachel Cutting (UK), Virginia Bolton (UK), Claudio Bisioli (Argentina)
• Clinicians: Paul Devroey (Belgium), Steve Ory (US), Marcos Horton (Argentina)

This exciting new venture for IFFS aligns with our mission and complies with our commitments as an NSA organization in official relations with the WHO. IFFS is excited to explore similar initiatives in the future.