Department of Health

Key messages

  • The Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 regulates assisted reproductive treatment in Victoria.
  • The Act also regulates access to information about treatment.
  • The Act promotes research into the incidence, causes and prevention of infertility.

The Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 regulates assisted reproductive treatment in Victoria. It came into operation in 2010.

Purpose of the Act

The Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act:

  • regulates the use of assisted reproductive treatment and artificial insemination procedures (other than self-insemination)
  • regulates access to information, such as donor information
  • promotes research into the incidence, causes and prevention of infertility
  • regulates surrogacy arrangements.

Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority

The Act also established the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA).

VARTA provides independent information and support for donors, donor-conceived people, couples and health professionals on fertility, infertility, and assisted reproductive treatment. It acts in the best interests of children born through assisted reproduction.

Donor treatment registers

The Act provides for a Central Register and Voluntary Register managed by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

These registers record information about the people connected with assisted reproductive treatment:

  • the donor
  • the woman who underwent treatment, and her partner (if any)
  • the donor-conceived person.

This information may include full name, date of birth, ethnic background and physical characteristics.

More information about changes to the law regarding access to donor conception information can be found under Right to know.

Reviewed 16 May 2024

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