一对双胞胎的生物学父母Richard和Jacqueline Hensby-Davies已向新南威尔士州最高法院提起民事诉讼，指控悉尼皇家北岸医院在1995年犯下的IVF胚胎混淆错误[1]。双胞胎Sasha Szafranski和姐妹自幼由非生物学母亲Penny Szafranski抚养成长，两个家庭均未意识到医疗混淆的发生[1]。直到去年，Sasha通过Ancestry.com DNA检测意外发现自己与养母无血缘关系，真相才得以揭露[1]。
生物学父母的律师Bill Madden和Matilda Lynch表示，委托人原本希望通过协议获得正式道歉和赔偿，但鉴于事件复杂性，已转向诉讼解决[1]。皇家北岸医院的生育诊所曾于1994年8月被转交给North Shore A.R.T公司运营，North Shore A.R.T后来被Virtus Health收购[1]。现任运营方Virtus Health否认责任，声称自身成立于1995年之后[1]。
这是澳大利亚已知的第二起胚胎被转移到错误家庭的IVF混淆事件，2023年Monash IVF布里斯班诊所也发生过类似情况[1]。
The biological parents of twins have filed a civil lawsuit against Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney over an embryo mix-up that occurred during an IVF procedure in 1995 [1]. Richard and Jacqueline Hensby-Davies claim their biological children were implanted into another woman, Penny Szafranski, who raised the twins without knowledge of the error [1].
The mix-up came to light when one of the twins, Sasha Szafranski, discovered through DNA testing on Ancestry.com that she shared no biological connection with her mother [1]. The case has been filed in the New South Wales Supreme Court [1]. According to the Hensby-Davies' lawyers, Bill Madden and Matilda Lynch, their clients initially sought resolution through a settlement that would include a formal apology and compensation, but proceeded with legal action due to the complexity of the matter [1].
The fertility clinic at Royal North Shore Hospital was transferred to North Shore A.R.T for operation in August 1994 [1]. North Shore A.R.T was subsequently acquired in the early 2000s and later purchased by fertility company Virtus Health [1]. Virtus Health has rejected liability, asserting that the company did not exist in 1995 [1]. This case represents Australia's second known instance of embryos being transferred to the wrong family in an IVF mix-up; a similar incident occurred at Monash IVF's Brisbane clinic in 2023 [1].