HFEA responds to concerns over treatment package deals

Following concerns raised by the Safe Campaign, about fertility treatment package deals, an HFEA spokesperson said:

"We are concerned about the Safe Campaign, as the comparison with the US is misleading and unlike the US, fertility treatment in the UK is tightly regulated by us.   

 “We know that the pandemic has caused anxiety among some patients. Our role is to ensure licensed clinics provide safe treatment based on a patient’s individual circumstances. 

 “The majority of patients fund their own treatment, through a variety of different ways and we have no evidence that pricing packages offered by clinics will have a detrimental impact on patient care.  

"We monitor all aspects of treatment through our regular and detailed inspections regime and publish this information on our website. We are confident that any unsafe practices would be picked up. 

“Over recent years the UK fertility sector has become safer, multiple births are at an all-time low, cases of severe and critical OHSS are decreasing, and clinics are more compliant with our regulations. We’ll continue to ensure that all UK fertility clinics provide safe treatment regardless of how it is funded."   

• We require all clinics to have a multiple births strategy, while clinics must report details of all severe and critical cases of OHSS to us.   

• We have taken steps to improve the way that clinics advise patients of the risks of OHSS and what patients should do if they feel unwell.  

• We also require clinics to work with local hospitals to ensure that any woman suffering from suspected OHSS is treated appropriately.   

• Guidance from the professional bodies is also available for the management of IVF complications, such as OHSS.