The HFEA debate

I was really sorry to have to miss the recent debate organised by Progress Educational Trust on the future of the HFEA, and so was pleased to find a write up of the evening in this week's edition of Bionews.  It was clearly a lively and interesting debate - it may only be a snapshot view but it's interesting that those working in fertility clinics seemed keenest to be rid of the HFEA, while those on the outside were keener for it to remain.  I'd be the first to agree that streamlining and change are both necessary, but it's far too easy to focus on the negatives and to forget all of the good work that the HFEA has done and continues to do.

One of the speakers apparently claimed that people were travelling overseas for treatment because of over-regulation by the HFEA in the UK.  Having spoken to many people who've opted to have treatment abroad, I can't remember hearing one of them mention "over-regulation" as an issue - excessive costs and waiting lists were more likely to come up as reasons for having treatment abroad, as well as higher success rates in some other places and being treated as an equal by consultants.

Sadly the one thing that wasn't mentioned in the reporting of the evening was patient information, and I don't know whether this cropped up at all.  For most fertility patients, information provision is one of the most important functions of the HFEA.  It's the publication of success rates, the reliable information about new treatments and the calm response to fertility scare stories that is so vital - and yet it seems to be the one thing that most of the experts discussing this seem to entirely overlook.

Sammy Lee

I was so sad to read in Bionews this evening of the death of Sammy Lee, a leading scientist and embryologist who had worked in the fertility field for many years and had carried out a range of research projects.

I'd heard of Sammy long before I met him as he had often courted controversy in statements to the media, and I'd imagined some kind of rather pompous figure.  In fact, when I finally got to meet him, Sammy wasn't a bit like that - he was kind, gentle and fascinating company.

You can read Sammy's obituary on Bionews here, and you can contribute to a fund in his name here which has been set up in accordance with his wish to support his students.

Surrogacy laws

Anyone who is either considering surrogacy, or has an interest in the subject, may be interested to read an online commentary on the subject written by solicitor Natalie Gamble, who specialises in fertility law.

Writing for BioNews, published by Progress Educational Trust, she puts a strong case for changes needed to the current surrogacy law. She explains how the "intended parents" - that is those who wish to have the child - are currently not considered the legal parents at birth, and explains why this makes things difficult. With more and more people travelling abroad for surrogacy arrangements which can be cheaper and easier to arrange outside the UK, she also details why this can cause real problems for both parents and for the child concerned. You can read her commentary at www.bionews.org.uk