HFEA sets fees for single embryo IVF treatment
12 May 2010
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) today announced it will redefine the fee it charges clinics for IVF following a single embryo transfer.
The move recognises that patients who transfer only one embryo per round of treatment should not be penalised within the existing scheme.
From 1 October 2010, the new arrangement will see clinics pay the HFEA fee of £104.50 for a patient’s initial treatment cycle using single embryo transfer. If the first cycle is unsuccessful, each additional frozen embryo transfer will not be charged.
Currently, clinics pay the HFEA for each cycle of IVF they carry out. Many clinics pass this fee onto patients. The extra cost can influence patients to have multiple embryos transferred in a single cycle, increasing the risk of a multiple pregnancy.
Speaking today, Chair of the HFEA Prof Lisa Jardine said:
“We want to send a positive message to patients and clinics that we are doing everything in our power to promote low risk single embryo transfer fertility treatment.
“Redefining the HFEA fee demonstrates our commitment to ensuring we remove obstacles that discourage patients from choosing single embryo transfer for their treatment.”
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Update on Reducing HFEA Fees following single embryo transfer
At its May meeting the Authority decided that a woman who had a single embryo transfer should not be disadvantaged by having to pay a second fee for a subsequent transfer. They should pay the same as a woman who has a double embryo transfer, not more.
At the time, it was hoped that this could be accomplished by 1 October 2010 and HFEA announcements raised expectations among patients and clinics that this was achievable.
The aim was to clarify that our fee structure did not work against the policy of multiple births that the HFEA introduced, with widespread support, in 2008.
Whilst the HFEA is still committed to this aim, it has not proved possible to secure central agreement.
The Department of Health has insisted that the change requires the approval of both the Department and HM Treasury. This is not the Authority’s view but we cannot proceed without DH agreement.
The HFEA still intends to remove the anomaly. However, the work that needs to be done has been overtaken by the requirement to respond to a large number of DH requests for information and the priority given to implement the abolition of the Authority as proposed by DH.
Notes to editors
- The HFEA does not charge individual patients for fertility treatment. Clinics, both NHS and private, pay a fee to the HFEA towards the costs of being regulated and inspected. The fee is based on the number of treatments clinics carry out. Currently the fees are:
- £104.50 for each cycle of in vitro fertilisation (IVF)
- £52 for each cycle of donor insemination.
- The HFEA is the independent regulator for IVF treatment and embryo research. Our role is to protect patients and the public interest, to drive improvement in the treatment and research sectors and to provide information to the public and policymakers about treatment and research.
- The HFEA was set up in August 1991 as part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The HFEA’s principal tasks are to license and monitor clinics that carry out in vitro fertilisation (IVF), artificial insemination (AI) and human embryo research. The HFEA also regulates the storage of gametes (eggs and sperm) and embryos.
- Chair of the HFEA Professor Lisa Jardine is available for follow up interviews. Please contact the HFEA press office for more information.
Links to more information
Page last updated: 12 May 2010