The ACCC will not oppose Monash IVF Group Limited’s (ASX: MVF) proposed acquisition of Fertility North Holdings Pty Ltd.
Monash IVF and Fertility North both supply fertility services, including in vitro fertilisation (IVF), in Perth.
The ACCC’s review focused on closeness of competition, the likelihood of new entry, and whether Monash IVF was likely to significantly alter its service offerings after the acquisition.
The ACCC concluded there was unlikely to be a substantial lessening of competition as Monash IVF will face sufficient competition from the remaining providers in Perth such as Genea/Adora, Concept Fertility, and Fertility Specialists of WA.
These other providers offer a mix of low-cost and full-service fertility services, and include a new low-cost entrant, Oasis Fertility.
The ACCC’s review found there is unlikely to be any change to competition for low-cost IVF services offered by Fertility North as a consequence of the acquisition. Low-cost IVF services are an important part of the market to many would-be parents.
“Although the proposed acquisition increases concentration in fertility services in Perth, we concluded that it was unlikely to result in a substantial lessening of competition,” ACCC Commissioner Liza Carver said.
“The fertility services industry has seen consolidation over recent years, and we will continue to closely monitor acquisitions.”
More information can be found on the ACCC’s website at
Background
Monash IVF offers a range of specialist fertility, diagnostic obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound treatments to patients in Australia and South East Asia. In Australia, Monash IVF owns and operates several different brands including Monash IVF, Repromed and Fertility Solutions. The Monash IVF and Repromed brands operate as suppliers of full-service IVF services. Fertility Solutions operates as a supplier of full-service and low-cost IVF services.
In Perth, Monash IVF owns PIVET, which operates out of PIVET Medical Centre in Leederville in central Perth. Monash IVF acquired PIVET in 2023. PIVET offers full-service fertility services.
Fertility North is a fertility services provider located at Ramsay Joondalup Private Hospital in Joondalup, approximately 29km north of Perth CBD. It offers both full-service and low-cost IVF services.
Fertility services includes a range of services, such as In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT), Ovulation Induction (OI), Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI), egg-freezing, and frozen or fresh embryo transfer.
