Baroness Charlotte Owen invited PET director Sarah Norcross to meet her in the Palace of Westminster to discuss the lack of regulation of digital or 'virtual' fertility clinics.
Back in June, Baroness Owen raised this issue in a debate in the House of Lords brought by Baroness Deech. The debate 'Fertility Treatment Regulation' saw a number of peers areas of concern with the current law and regulation and called for reform.
Baroness Owen said,
'The HFEA has set out its recommendations. Patients have been left without protection. The only thing missing is government action. I ask the Minister why, given the clear gap exposed by Apricity’s closure and the HFEA's own recommendation for reform, the Government have still not set out a timetable for the legislation. Can she now tell the House when the Government intend to bring forward proposals to ensure that digital and concierge-style fertility providers are brought within an appropriate regulatory framework?'
As the Government has still not taken any action, she requested a meeting with Sarah. Among the approaches they discussed was laying a probing amendment to the Health Bill. After the failure of the virtual clinic Apricity, which left many patients uncertain as to what would happen to their embryos and their money it is clear that regulatory oversight of such entities is needed.
PET is looking forward to working with Baroness Owen to ensure that better protection is in place for fertility patients.