June 22, 2022

expert reaction to report on state of UK fertility treatment

A report published by the Progress Education Trust (PET) looks at public attitudes and  understanding on fertility, genomics and embryo research.

Richard Kennedy, Past President, International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS), said:

“The International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) welcomes the PET survey findings, and calls for increased access to fertility care, including IVF, not dependent on a couple’s ability to pay. Furthermore, it draws attention to the fact that the WHO classifies infertility as a disease and has set a goal of universal access to care.”

Clare Ettinghausen, Director of Strategy & Corporate Affairs, Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA), said:

“Our latest data shows that, whilst the use of donor eggs and sperm increased from 2019 to 2020, the number of donor registrations decreased during this period. It’s therefore reassuring to see PET’s findings which suggest that over half of men surveyed would consider donation. However, we know it is harder for some ethnic minority patients to find donors with the same background.

“Donating eggs or sperm to help someone else to have a child is a selfless act but one that should be thought about carefully.  Patients should always use a HFEA licensed clinic when using sperm donors to ensure that all medical and other checks are done, and the correct consents are taken. The HFEA’s Choose a Fertility Clinic tool on its website can help people find a licensed fertility clinic that’s right for them.”

‘Fertility, Genomics and Embryo Research: Public Attitudes and Understanding’, a report based on a UK wide survey by Ipsos, will be published by the Progress Education Trust (PET) at 00:01 UK time on Wednesday 22^nd June 2022.

Declared interests

Clare Ettinghausen is an employee of the HFEA which is funded by licence fees, IVF treatment fees and a grant from UK central government.

For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.