For the first time since the pandemic, PET Director, Sarah Norcross attended the HFEA's Patient Organisation Stakeholder Group meeting in person.
The meeting took place in the HFEA's offices in Stratford. Representatives from Verity, Surrogacy UK, Donor Conception Network, MRKH Connect and the Elizabeth Bryan Multiple Births Centre gathered at the meeting while others joined online. As ever, there was a full agenda and the HFEA's Clare Ettinghausen managed to keep us to time. This is no mean feat as there is always so much to catch up on.
The HFEA updated us on their priority workstreams which include donor conception and they explained how they carry out their horizon scanning work. Very helpfully they gave us some highlights from their The Fertility Sector 2025/26 report which was to be published the following day.
Members of the Patient Organisation Stakeholder Group shared their concerns from patients. These ranged from some people finding it tricky to use a known egg donor in their IVF treatment, to others wanting a better understanding how AI may be being used in fertility clinics.
It was a great opportunity to catch up with people from other organisations and to meet some of the team at the HFEA. An added bonus was their Chair, Julia Chain, and their Chief Executive, Peter Thompson, joining us for lunch. A huge thank you to the HFEA for hosting the meeting and providing lunch.