19/10/2011 by yourgreatlife.

Will a new, higher payment allowance have much impact on donor-assisted fertility treatment in the UK?

It’s all about the money, money, money when it comes to donor gametes, according to some in the fertility field.  Until now, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has limited compensation for egg and sperm donation to a maximum of £250, for reasonable expenses such as travel and loss of earnings, but has denied donors any other payment. However, a report to be published by the HFEA this week is expected to raise that maximum sum to £700.

The question of compensation for donor sperm and eggs has been hotly debated in the UK for years, from an ethical standpoint as well as a practical one. At one extreme, there are people who believe that payment for donor gametes amounts to the commercial trading of human flesh.  Others merely find the idea distasteful. The HFEA itself does not want to be seen to be creating a financial incentive to donate.  However, the other major consideration here is the one of supply and demand.  There has been a shortage of donor gametes in the UK, which many people believe is a result of the no-payment rules. This is not the case in countries like the USA, where payment is allowed.

The perspectives of both donor and recipient will, of course, be based upon more personal considerations. For those requiring donor gametes in order to have a baby the shortage of supply can be frustrating and the alternative route of going abroad for fertility treatment can be extremely expensive.  Donors must take into account the time, effort and discomfort involved in providing sperm or eggs.  Egg donation, in particular, involves the taking of hormone medication by injection for several weeks, and then an invasive procedure under general anaesthetic to retrieve the eggs. 

The change in HFEA regulations has the support of fertility industry groups, including the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and the British Fertility Society, according to an article in the Sunday Times. Nuffield Council on Bioethics likens donors to volunteers who test new medicines and suggests they be paid similarly. The British Fertility Society is more specific; suggesting fees of up to $1,000 for sperm donors and between £500 and £2,500 for egg donors in addition to a fixed amount of compensation for their discomfort and inconvenience.  It is unclear how much will actually be paid to donors of sperm or eggs, when the recipients are receiving free IVF through the NHS, and who will be responsible for that payment.

The proposed UK compensation scheme will almost certainly lead to an increase in the supply of donor gametes, if other countries’ models can be relied upon.  It means that someone who considers being a donor can weigh their reservations about the time and effort it will involve with the compensation they will receive.  No one is going to get wealthy on this scheme as the compensation isn’t overly generous and there are also regulations in place which limit the number of times a person can donate gametes.  The limited payments also means that people who must pursue private fertility treatment are not faced with enormous additional costs, but will probably benefit from a greater supply.  Look out for news of the changing HFEA regulations this week.

Posted in egg donor payment, egg donation payment, egg donation payment uk, egg donation uk paid, sperm donor uk pay, sperm donor pay, HFEA, donor-assisted fertility treatment, donor-assisted conception, human fertilisation and embryology authority, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »

10/06/2009 by admin.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA for short) is the UK’s independent regulator overseeing the use of gametes and embryos in fertility treatment and research.

The HFEA licenses fertility clinics and centres carrying out in vitro fertilisation (IVF), other assisted conception procedures and human embryo research.

If you want to find out more about assisted reproduction and IVF this is a good place to start.

They have a ‘find a clinic near you’ search in which you simply enter your postcode to find out about clinics and services in your area.

 There is also lots of information about IVF and assisted reproduction including IVF success rates, frequently asked questions, who is eligible for NHS treatment and lots more

I am going to add the website to our blogroll

http://www.hfea.gov.uk/

Posted in Assisted reproduction, HFEA, IVF | Print | 1 Comment »

30/03/2009 by admin.

There has been a lot of coverage in the UK press in the last week about the possible increased rate of birth defects associated with assisted reproduction techniques such as IVF

The HFEA (Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority) has issued a statement last week that helps to clarify things:

24 March 2009

Recent publicity regarding the risks associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART) has prompted patients to contact either the HFEA or their clinic.

We fully understand people’s concern, however it is important to put information of this type in context.

Part of the role of the HFEA is to keep research under review and it is assisted in this role by its advisory body, the Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC). At its most recent meeting in January 2009, the Committee reviewed the most recent data on risks associated with ART, specifically around the chance of ART babies having birth defects. This report was published on our website prior to the meeting in January. The minutes of the meeting have also been made available on our website.

As can be seen from the papers, our advisors recommended that we revise our existing patient information on the risks associated with ART, to provide more up to date advice that reflects the latest research.

The risk of birth defects in the general population is low. Two per cent of children in Europe are born with birth defects. Some research suggests there might be an increased risk of 30 percent for babies born as a result of ART.  This would mean that the risk rises to 2.6 percent, which is still low. There is not enough data to be more precise but this is the best estimate currently available.

Research to date cannot say with absolute certainty that this increased risk is due to ART. Other causes including the original cause of infertility, the age of the patient or other unexplored factors cannot be discounted. 

In order to make sure patients understand the risks of ART as well as they can we keep research of this kind under review. And where it suggests there may be a greater risk we share this information with patients in a clear way to help them understand the risks associated with the choices they are making.  

However, we still do not know the complete picture. All we can say with confidence is that there is a small risk associated with ART in general.

We will be revising our guidance and the information we give to patients during April. This information will be available on our website.

Click here to visit the HFEA website

Posted in HFEA, IVF | Print | 1 Comment »