Professor Karen Sermon
The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) is a nonprofit organisation, registered in Belgium, that brings together healthcare professionals and scientists working in reproductive medicine and biology.
ESHRE aims to advance infertility care and improve knowledge in reproductive biology and medicine. It does this by organising conferences, courses and certifications, by issuing clinical and ethical guidance and data reports, and by advocating – at a European level – for better regulation and improved access to care. Recently, ESHRE has committed to educate and inform the general public in relation to broader themes connected to reproductive health.
ESHRE has supported PET (the Progress Educational Trust) from the beginning, and many of our members are regular readers of BioNews. ESHRE always has a prominent place at the PET Annual Conference, where our speakers feel welcome and greatly enjoy the high level of scientific and societal discourse.
ESHRE was keen to support the Fertility, Embryo Research and Genome Editing: Public Attitudes in Europe report, because this work is so timely. Despite decades of dismissive attitudes from policymakers, fertility care is increasingly considered a part of patients' basic rights to healthcare. The report is also being published at a time when various scientific breakthroughs are changing the way we conceive and conduct our research (see BioNews 1321, 1335 and 1345), and it is important that these changes are accompanied by public awareness and consensus.
The new report provides insights into public attitudes and understanding concerning access, care and research in reproductive science and medicine. Its findings will inform ESHRE's ongoing work in Europe, linked to the implementation of the European Union's Substances of Human Origin Regulation and to the ethical considerations that arise in our field.
Sarah Norcross
PET is an independent charity based in the UK. We provide impartial and accurate information to people affected by infertility or genetic conditions, and provide platforms for them – and relevant experts, practitioners, researchers, lawyers and policymakers – to discuss scientific, ethical, legal and policy developments. This is achieved primarily through publishing BioNews and producing events, in addition to other forms of public engagement and policy work.
Our overarching aim at PET is to improve choices for people affected by infertility and/or genetic conditions. PET was founded as a charity in 1992, and has a proud history of influencing public discussion and debate about fertility, genomics and embryo research.
These are just some of the highlights of our work:
- PET was instrumental in changing UK law to permit the use of mitochondrial donation in treatment, to avoid the transmission of mitochondrial disease (see BioNews 1298, 1310, 1313 and 1323).
- As a result of the successful PET #ExtendTheLimit campaign, UK law was also changed to extend the maximum storage period for cryopreserved eggs, sperm and embryos from 10 years to 55 years, for all patients (see BioNews 1111, 1112, 1115 and 1118).
- Together with Cambridge Reproduction, PET published the Code of Practice for the Generation and Use of Human Stem-Cell-Based Embryo Models, which supports the development of best practice for the generation and use of human stem-cell-based embryo models in the UK (see BioNews 1194, 1246a, 1246b and 1247).
PET has always enjoyed a close relationship with ESHRE, and for many years, we have sent BioNews editors to cover the latest developments at ESHRE Annual Conferences.
Input and support from ESHRE has in turn enriched PET Annual Conferences, and continues to do so. We are delighted to be working with ESHRE on this year's PET Annual Conference, AI and Automation in Fertility and Genomics: Pipeline? Or Pipe Dream?, which will take place in central London on Wednesday 9 December.
When it was announced that ESHRE would be holding its own Annual Conference in London in 2026, this inspired us to build upon our earlier report Fertility, Genomics and Embryo Research: Public Attitudes and Understanding, and – in collaboration with ESHRE – commission Ipsos to conduct an even wider-ranging piece of research.
Our earlier report explored public opinion within the UK. This time around, the research covers three additional European countries in addition to the UK – the Netherlands, Spain and Italy – and the resulting report is entitled Fertility, Embryo Research and Genome Editing: Public Attitudes in Europe. I am sure that our readers and supporters across the world will find it fascinating.
We are grateful to ESHRE for supporting this work, and we invite anyone who wants to help us build upon the new report – by collaborating with us on related events and initiatives – to contact us with your ideas.
Registration is now open for this year's PET Annual Conference – AI and Automation in Fertility and Genomics: Pipeline? Or Pipe Dream? – which is supported by supported by ESHRE, and is taking place in central London on Wednesday 9 December 2026.
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