Why The Alabama Supreme Court Ruling on Embryos Matters for Those Impacted by Cancer

On Friday, Feb. 16, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created through assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are considered children and are therefore covered under the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act.

The decision came after couples whose embryos were accidentally destroyed filed lawsuits against the fertility clinic where they were being stored for wrongful death. While the lawsuits were initially dismissed by the county circuit court judge, the state supreme court ruled otherwise.

In response to the ruling, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has put IVF treatments on pause as well as other fertility clinics.

The Peak takes a deep dive into what the recent court decisions could mean for the breast and gynecologic cancer community — and what you can do about it.