Arabic version: والدان يقاضيان مستشفى في سيدني بسبب خطأ في التلقيح الاصطناعي عام 1995

According to ABC News, the biological parents of twins born after a 1995 IVF embryo mix-up have filed a civil claim in the NSW Supreme Court against Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital. Jacqueline and Richard Hensby-Davies are represented by Bill Madden and Matilda Lynch of Carroll and O’Dea Lawyers.

The twins, Sasha Szafranski and her sister, were raised by their birth mother, Penny Szafranski, without either family knowing of the error. The mix-up was discovered decades later after Sasha Szafranski used Ancestry.com to research her father’s family. Independent DNA testing found that the twins were the biological children of the Hensby-Davieses.

Investigations by the families found that Penny Szafranski and the Hensby-Davieses underwent IVF treatment at Royal North Shore Hospital’s fertility clinic at the same time in 1995. Penny Szafranski became pregnant, while Jacqueline Hensby-Davies did not. The couples lived about a 15-minute drive from each other in the Coffs Harbour area.

The Hensby-Davieses’ lawyers said their clients had hoped a formal apology and compensation could be negotiated without court proceedings, but said the complexity of the matter meant a statement of claim was filed. They said care was also provided by another organisation and investigations were continuing into whether further defendants should be added.

The Northern Sydney Local Health District, which controls the hospital, declined to comment. It previously said the fertility unit was transferred to North Shore A.R.T in August 1994 and that it did not operate the clinic after that time. North Shore A.R.T later ceased operating and was acquired by companies that were subsequently acquired by Virtus Health, which has denied responsibility. Sasha Szafranski is not part of the litigation and said she hoped the case would bring accountability, transparency and meaningful change in the IVF sector.