Public say IVF benefits outweigh the risks but are concerned about the long-term consequences of treatment

08 November 2005

Costs should be controlled says new research.

The public believes the benefits of fertility treatment outweigh the risks but around half still feel that it has unknown consequences in the long-term, according to studies of public and patient opinion for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

The research combined patient views from the HFEA patient panel FertilityViews with a study of UK public opinion carried out by polling experts MORI.

The vast majority of those questioned in the study (85%) believe that fertility treatment represents a major advance in science, with half of people (50%) saying the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks. Just over half of people (55%) regard fertility treatment as a routine medical treatment with almost two-thirds of people (64%) knowing somebody who has had fertility treatment.

Though a majority of people (59%) do not feel fertility treatment is tampering with nature and unethical, just under half (48%) of people say that the consequences of treatment are unknown.

Half of people (51%) believe that Britain has tough rules on fertility treatment with nearly two-thirds of people (63%) trusting the UK regulatory system to keep pace with scientific advances.

However, 76% felt that there should be regulation over treatment costs with 37% agreeing strongly with this view. Only 3% of those questioned disagreed that costs should be controlled.

The HFEA has sought the opinions of patients through its own consultative panel, FertilityViews and some of its conclusions are shown below:

  • Regular inspection of fertility clinics was the most important factor in commanding confidence among patients in the UK system (91% of patients agreed)
  • Three quarters of patients (75%) felt that producing effective information on fertility treatments was important in reassuring patients.

Suzi Leather, Chair of the HFEA, said:

"We are now going through an important time of change for fertility treatment in the UK with the Government consulting on a review of the law in this area. 

"We have carried out this research to ensure that the views of patients and the public are properly heard and taken account of as part of this important debate.

"The public have made it clear that while there is support for IVF in principle, people still have concerns about the long-term consequences. Addressing this is an important issue if we are to maintain confidence in this fast-moving sector. There is also agreement that the regulatory system is fair and appropriate. But we must continue to focus on the needs of patients and providing support to clinicians to ensure the system continues to work well.

"As 1 in 7 couples have concerns over their ability to conceive naturally, this issue affects many people throughout the UK. We hope that by widening the discussion in this way, the views of patients can be put at the heart of the future debate."    

Ends

Notes to editors

  • The HFEA commissioned research from MORI and interviews were conducted face-to-face in respondents' homes in March 2005. Figures are based on a representative sample of 1,009 British adults aged 15+.
  • Fertility Views is an online consultative panel of patients from across the UK. This research was carried out during Summer/Autumn 2005 and views were taken from approximately 750 members of the panel.
  • A full report on the research findings is available on the HFEA website.
  • 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), donor insemination (DI) and human embryo research. The HFEA also regulates the storage of gametes (eggs and sperm) and embryos.

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