In November Altinget.se featured an opinion piece in connection with Father’s Day in Sweden, which called for new ways of supporting infertile couples. And in October the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat highlighted the collaborative ecosystem of Medicon Valley, with ReproUnion setting a global example in reproductive health and driving innovation that resonate far beyond the Öresund region.

A call for action in Sweden

One in six Swedish couples experience challenges with fertility, which often requires treatment. This pressing issue has prompted discussion around increasing public funding for IVF treatments, including a recent proposal to the Swedish Parliament for additional treatment attempts and free support for families seeking a second child. In Denmark both initiatives have now been implemented after years of political work. In October 2024 the public healthcare system started offering up to six IVT attempts and in December it also opened the doors for free IVF support to have a second child.

However, as raised in the opinion piece, treatment is only one part of the puzzle. The focus must also be on reproductive research, particularly regarding the concerning decline in men’s sperm quality over the past decades – a topic that the authors Aleksander Giwercman, Lars Rylander and Anette Steenberg also address. They further underline that improving male reproductive health will both assist more couples in achieving parenthood and reduce the burden of fertility treatments on women.

Medicon Valley: A Cross-Border Life Sciences Hub

Earlier in the Autumn Helsingin Sanomat visited Medicon Valley and published an in-depth article about the building of bridges in science and how the Öresund Region is setting a global example in reproductive health innovation. The unique collaborative ecosystem was highlighted, backed by uniting partnerships between top universities, industry, and the public sector that drive healthcare solutions. Niels Abel Bonde, Executive VP of Novo Nordisk and chairman of Medicon Valley Alliance, explained: the innovation framework fosters close collaborations and is a proven approach, inspired by Silicon Valley, which Medicon Valley is leveraging to bring new solutions to patients.

The article further featured ReproUnion as an EU-supported project not only tackling a complex issue, but embodying Medicon Valley’s unique cross-border spirit and leading the way to broaden both female and male infertility research and treatment. The journalist had also spoken to Henriette Svarre Nielsen, Amager & Hvidovre Hospital who underlined the importance of expanding this research: Infertility is just as common in men as it is in women… yet treatments and research often overlook this. We need a more comprehensive approach that addresses both men’s and women’s health, including factors like the microbiome and lifestyle, she commented.

HERE we offer a full translation of the article, with credit to journalist Noona Bäckgren and photographer Anton Kunnas.