Costs, Coverage Issues Spur Black Market for Fertility Meds

The high cost of fertility drugs and treatment and spotty insurance coverage is driving some patients to buy others’ leftover fertility medications.

The drugs cost up to $5,000 per cycle of in-vitro fertility (IVF) treatment, and many patients undergo multiple cycles. Drug costs can run even higher for older patients who might require higher dosages to stimulate egg production.

The lack of insurance coverage for infertility treatments and the high out-of-pocket costs for fertility medications mean patients often struggle to handle the costs. Basic IVF can range from $10,000 to $15,000 per cycle, and these numbers don’t include the cost ...