If you live in Ontario...

...(as I do) you may want to give the government your $.02 about your experiences with the province's infertility services and/or adoption system. I did the survey & it took me about 20 minutes to complete. Your mileage may vary, depending on how many comments you want to leave, of course! There is also an opportunity to be contacted for a followup interview by a researcher. (I'm still mulling over whether I'll do that.)

Earlier this year, the Ontario government formed an expert panel to advise the government on how to make infertility treatments and adoption easier and more affordable. (I wrote about the panel in a post shortly after it was formed this summer.)

Here's a news item I received through a list that I'm on:

EXPERT PANEL ON INFERTILITY AND ADOPTION

Ontario¹s Expert Panel on Infertility and Adoption is gathering information from Ontarians who have an interest in, or experiences with infertility services and/or the adoption system.The panel is interested in hearing about your experience if you:

* have sought or used help with infertility and/or adoption in Ontario during the past 10 years OR
* are a provider of these services
OR
* were adopted or donor conceived
OR
* have opinions you want to offer.

A confidential survey can be completed on-line until December 15, 2008 at http://www.gov.on.ca/children/english/infertilityAdoption/index.html

Please Note: This survey is voluntary and anonymous and is being compiled byan external consultant using an external survey tool on behalf of the panel. Non-identifying results will be used to inform the work of the Expert Panel on Infertility and Adoption.

BACKGROUND: Ontario has appointed an expert panel on fertility treatment and adoption to help find solutions for people who are trying to start or expand a family.The panel will recommend ways to help make both fertility treatment andadoption more accessible and affordable.The 12-member panel will provide advice to the government on:

* Improving access to infertility treatment and making fertility monitoring available to women so they know if they are likely to have problems conceiving a child.

* Improving Ontario¹s adoption system so that more children can become part of families more quickly.

Panel members include adoptive parents, people who have had personal experience with infertility, and representatives from the medical and adoption communities. The panel is expected to report back to the Minister of Children and Youth Services with its recommendations within a year.