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British Fertility Society response to the announcement of a new “IVF lottery”
7 July 2011
Mrs Alison McTavish, Secretary of the British Fertility Society said:
“The British Fertility Society is very troubled by the announcement that the charity “To Hatch” is about to launch an IVF lottery. Although access to effective fertility treatment on the NHS remains patchy, and expensive for those who take the private route, we cannot condone this kind of activity.
“A competition like this, where only the lucky few will be given the chance to start a family, mirrors the “postcode lottery” of IVF provision on the NHS and is equally unfair. We urge Primary Care Trusts across the country to provide the full three cycles of IVF in line with NICE guidelines. Infertility affects one in seven couples in the UK, and providing fair access to IVF on the NHS would relieve the distress experienced by many infertile couples and prevent highly suspect activities such as this lottery from getting off the ground.”
Notes for editors
For more information: contact the British Fertility Society press office
The British Fertility Society is a national multidisciplinary organisation representing professionals practising in the field of reproductive medicine. The British Fertility Society is committed to promoting good clinical practice and working with patients to provide safe and effective fertility treatment.
The British Fertility Society annual meeting is taking place 6-7 January 2012 in Leeds, UK.