Fertility Patients Sold Unproven Add-ons, Hfea Says

Many fertility patients successful nan UK are being offered unnecessary add-on treatments that person small aliases nary impervious of improving nan likelihood of pregnancy, a study suggests.

Add-ons are optional, non-essential treatments immoderate backstage clinics connection successful summation to proven treatments, specified in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).

According to nan regulator, nan Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) , 73% of 1,500 patients surveyed betwixt September and October 2024 said they had utilized an add-on successful their latest information of treatment.

Most said they had done truthful based connected nan clinic's recommendation.

HFEA head Clare Ettinghausen told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is group themselves reporting connected whether they took possibly an further supplement, for illustration a vitamin tablet, aliases had a trial aliases possibly thing for illustration acupuncture.

"We person looked astatine nan evidence... they are not needfully going to summation nan chance of having a baby.

"So we are worried that group are spending money unnecessarily."

Some of nan add-ons tin costs thousands of pounds.

And while nan HFEA has nary powerfulness to extremity aliases good clinics, it is reminding them they must springiness patients a clear thought of what add-ons involve, really apt they are to thief and really overmuch they cost.

The regulator besides has its ain traffic-light standing tool to thief patients decide.

Examples include:

• Genetic tests
• Endometrial scratching - wherever a mini area of nan womb lining is scraped to trigger processes successful nan dream it will thief nan embryo implant
• Assist hatching - wherever a mini ace is created successful nan embryo's outer layer

Overall, patients were satisfied pinch nan attraction they were receiving, Ms Ettinghausen said.

But nan HFEA is concerned NHS patients are waiting longer than those going private.

Just complete 1 retired of each 2 backstage patients started curen wrong a year, compared pinch 1 retired of each 3 NHS patients.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "It is unacceptable fertility patients are being offered unnecessary treatments that will not thief them successful their extremity of becoming parents.

"We are moving to amended entree to NHS fertility services for each who request it.

"We are besides presently considering proposal from nan HFEA astir priorities for rule betterment covering their regulatory powers, including their imaginable domiciled successful integer clinics."