It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Dr. Abraham Albert “Al” Yuzpe, a pioneer in reproductive medicine, past President of CFAS (1983), recipient of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society Award of Excellence in Reproductive Medicine, and honored with the CFAS Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. Dr. Yuzpe was Canada’s most senior reproductive endocrinologist with a remarkable career that spanned six decades.
After graduating with BSc in Biology from the Assumption University in 1960, he earned his MD with honours in 1964, and his MSC in 1967, both from the University of Western Ontario. As a Medical Research Council of Canada Fellow, he performed research on clomiphene citrate under Dr. Earl Plunkett at Western, then travelled to Upsalla, Sweden to study the isolation, purification, and use of FSH.
After completing obstetrics & gynecology residency in Hamilton in 1969 followed by one year of general surgery, he joined the staff at the Victoria Hospital and at Western where he ascended the academic ranks, culminating as Professor Emeritus in 1995. His academic career continued as Clinical Professor Ob/Gyn at the University of British Columbia when he later relocated to Vancouver.
His landmark paper published in August 1974 in The Journal of Reproductive Medicine was the first to describe a method for emergency contraception. Referred to as the Yuzpe Method, this simple, safe, and effective regimen extended reproductive choice for women worldwide. It was recently recognized by the Canadian Child and Youth Health Coalition as one of the ten Canadian discoveries with the greatest impact on child and youth health outcomes in the past 100 years.
In the 1970’s, along with colleagues Dr. Jacques Rioux, Patrick Taylor, and Victor Gomel, Dr Yuzpe helped introduce the technique of laparoscopy to Canada. Dr. Yuzpe published prolifically on the topic and was involved with the development of technological advances including the integration of video. He helped establish the first Canadian training courses, effectively teaching an entire generation of surgeons to offer Canadian women an
alternative to laparotomy.
In 1980, Dr. Yuzpe gathered an illustrious group of IVF pioneers at his home in London: Patrick Steptoe & Robert Edwards, Georgeanna Seegar Jones & Howard Jones, Alan Trounson, Earl Plunkett & David Armstrong. Since then, assisted reproduction was his passion and the singular focus of the duration of his career.
With various colleagues, he established four IVF clinics, the most recent of which is the Olive Fertility Centre, where he served as a Co-Director for the duration of his career and led innovative initiatives such as PGT-M and donor gamete programs. Dr. Yuzpe was passionate about safety in IVF, as an early promoter of single embryo transfer. He was also a vocal advocate for public funding of IVF. He served as primary investigator on numerous clinical trials while maintaining a busy practice. His most recent appointment was as Chief Medical Officer of The Fertility Partners, an organization that benefited greatly from his vision and leadership.
Throughout his career, he has served at the highest levels of the CFAS, IVF Medical Directors, AAGL, SOGC, and others. He has also served as advisor to numerous organizations domestically & abroad, including the World Health Organization, Planned Parenthood, and USAid. His awards & accolades are too numerous to list.
His professional accomplishments notwithstanding, to his colleagues who were fortunate to have worked with him over the years, above all, Al will be remembered for his kind-heart and generous spirit. Regardless of title or profession, he treated everyone with dignity and respect. He preferred to credit others for their accomplishments rather than recognize his own. Countless considered him a mentor and friend. He also was known for his sense of humor, with a zinger for every occasion.
Our hearts and thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.
