BMJ 1995;311:1586-1587 (16 December)

Editorials

Infertility and the NHS

Purchasers should avoid the moral high ground

New medical technologies have dramatically changed the prospects for infertile couples. A couple attempting in vitro fertilisation has nearly a 40% chance of achieving a live birth over three treatment cycles in 12 months.1 Yet relatively few people who could be helped by medicine to achieve their own biological families can obtain this help from the NHS. The latest figures from the College of Health, a patient interest group, show that in 1994 almost a quarter of health authorities in Britain refused to purchase in vitro fertilisation services and over a third refused to purchase gamete intrafallopian transfer services.2 There are three related issues pertaining to this startling shortfall in provision.

Firstly, the type of treatment that most health authorities provide reflects the underlying assumptions about infertility. Only one treatment--tubal surgery--seeks to cure infertility. Others (artificial insemination by husband, donor insemination, in vitro . . . [Full text of this article]


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Bertarelli Foundation Scientific Board, T. (2000). Public perception on infertility and its treatment: an international survey. Hum Reprod 15: 330-334 [Abstract] [Full text]  
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