A
controversial lottery, offering £25,000 worth of IVF treatment as a prize, has
been given the go ahead. The Gambling Commission has licensed To Hatch, a UK
charity offering fertility advice, to sell tickets to win the fertility
treatment in a monthly draw.
The
creator of To Hatch, Camille Strachan said: 'We will offer struggling couples a
completely tailor made service. We hope the To Hatch Lottery can ease the
burden on the NHS and reduce the stress slightly on some of those who are
struggling'.
Both the
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and the British Fertility
Society (BFS) have issued statements outlining their concerns over the proposed lottery.
'The
British Fertility Society is very troubled by the announcement that the charity
To Hatch is about to launch an IVF lottery. Although access to effective
fertility treatment on the NHS remains patchy, and expensive for those who take
the private route, we cannot condone this kind of activity', said Alison
McTavish, secretary of the BFS. 'A competition like this, where only the lucky
few will be given the chance to start a family, mirrors the 'postcode lottery'
of IVF provision on the NHS and is equally unfair'.
The HFEA
said in its statement: 'The HFEA is strongly of the view that using IVF as
'prize' in a lottery is wrong and entirely inappropriate. To do so runs counter
to the ethos that underpins our regulatory system and clinical practice. It
trivialises what is for many people a central part of their lives'.
The
lottery will begin on 30 July, with tickets costing £20 a time and the prize open
to anyone — not just couples. Single, gay and elderly players won't be
excluded from taking part, and if IVF treatment is not a suitable option, it has
been suggested that the winner will be offered alternative treatments such as
sperm donors, egg donors or surrogacy.
Winners
will receive IVF treatment in a choice of one of five top fertility clinics as
well as accommodation and other expenses incurred as part of the treatment.
Sources and References
-
Babies to be won monthly in first IVF lottery
-
Lottery game offering IVF treatment prize defended
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To Hatch, IVF charity in Britain, raffles off chance to have a baby
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Statement on IVF lottery
-
British Fertility Society response to the announcement of a new “IVF lottery”
-
IVF lottery: charity launches competition to win fertility treatment at top hospitals
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