More than 600 babies have a chance at life thanks to Greek Australian doctor Kostas Pantos. The Australian children were conceived at Dr Pantos’ Clinic of the Human Reproduction “Genesis” in Athens through a method of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) used at the clinic. Dr Pantos’ dedication to the field of IVF treatment has granted up to 500 babies from Sydney and 100 from Melbourne a chance at life and love.
“Australian couples who have fertility problems prefer coming to Greece,” said the scientist, “because in Australia the child, by law, can find out who his biological mother or father is after he/she turns 18.
“Additionally, the donor has the right to have access to the child.
In many cases, neither the couples nor the donors feel uncomfortable with this arrangement.
These regulations, though, do not apply in Greece. The donors are anonymous. As a result of this, Greece became a popular country for Australian couples to become parents through the IVF method.”
Dr Pantos told Neos Kosmos that many couples from Australia go to Greece with their own gene to take a foreign ovum, because in many cases they haven’t found an appropriate one in Australia.
Born in Melbourne, Dr Pantos went back to Greece when he was just six years old. During the years of the Greek dictatorship, his family returned to Australia. After finalising his studies and initially working in Melbourne, he returned to Greece, where he now lives and works. Dr Pantos often works alongside Australian institutes and scientists due to his studies in the southern hemisphere and connections in Melbourne. The doctor stills works very closely with the Monash Medical Centre and fellow Greek Australian doctor Nick Lolagis.