Parents have weeks to collect embryos caught up in Crete fertility clinic scandal

Intended parents affected by the fertility clinic scandal in Crete, Greece last year, now have just 20 days to collect their embryos before the facility they are stored at closes.

All eight members of staff at the Mediterranean Fertility Institute, Crete were arrested in August 2023 following accusations of human trafficking surrounding surrogacy arrangements, and sham embryo transfers (BioNews 1204). Embryos stored at the now defunct clinic, which had provided services to overseas patients, were transferred to Chania General Hospital in Crete for storage. A recent announcement by Chania General Hospital revealed that it will terminate its cryopreservation storage services on 30 June 2024, giving affected patients just weeks to collect their embryos.

'My clients have been told "You must get your embryos out because we are closing this facility down"', said Stephen Page, a family and fertility law specialist representing some of the affected Australian couples. 'What concerns me is what happens to the patients who don't know about the 30 June deadline. Will their material be disposed of, or sent to another clinic, and if so which?'

The clinic was particularly popular among Australian intended parents, and the Australian ambassador to Greece had called for 'a speedy resolution' for affected individuals when the clinic was closed last year. Among the affected families are an estimated 38 Australian couples.

Charges against clinic employees included forcing 169 women, mostly from low income European countries, to be egg donors and surrogates by imprisoning them in 'safe houses'. Altruistic surrogacy is legal in Greece, but the employees were charged with charging intended parents up to AUD$200,000 (£103,807) for surrogacy and arranging illegal adoptions and false medical certificates.

Sam Everingham, who is the founder of Growing Families, a non-profit organisation supporting Australian families through international surrogacy told Live Action that many of his clients had paid out large sums of money for 'a surrogacy programme that was never carried out'.

The news that additional money would be needed to transfer the embryos was tough for many couples, he added: 'It's too much to handle, they've lost trust, a lot of them have given up'.