WIREDGOV

HFEA is inviting fertility patients to have their say in a new poll aimed at gaining the views and experiences of people throughout the UK who have had, are undergoing or are preparing for fertility treatment.

It is estimated that around one in six couples, approximately 3.5 million people, experience some form of fertility problems at some point in their lives and tens of thousands of people go through fertility treatment every year. Their views and concerns about the treatment they receive are important in helping improve the quality of care across the sector.

Being run in collaboration with Ipsos MORI, the panel will be balanced in terms of age, gender, location and ethnicity, to provide a representative sample of people’s experiences from across the UK.

People taking part in the ‘Fertility - Have Your Say’ panel will be contacted roughly every three months to be asked questions regarding their experiences, values and about the support they need at each stage of their treatment.
‘Fertility - Have Your Say’ will give people a chance to comment on their care and will help HFEA shape the broader policies affecting the fertility sector as a whole.

Prof Lisa Jardine, Chair of the HFEA, said:

“The views of people going through fertility treatment are important to us because they are the only ones who can tell us what it’s really like.

Only through hearing about the experience of patients can we gain a real understanding of the issues facing people as they journey through the rollercoaster of fertility treatment.

The information we gather from this panel will be invaluable in helping to shape the fertility sector to provide the best possible experience and outcome for patients.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• To sign up to be considered to be part of the panel please go to www.hfea.gov.uk/haveyoursay

• 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. See www.hfea.gov.uk for further details.

For further information please contact the HFEA press office on 020 7291 8226 or email press.office@hfea.gov.uk

Contacts:

HFEA Press Office
Phone: 020 7291 8226
press.office@hfea.gov.uk

Nick Spears
Phone: 020 7374 5384
nick.spears@hfea.gov.uk