Britain’s fertility regulator, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has run up a surplus of more than £3 million. The surplus comes from charges imposed on clinics it licences.

Every clinic offering IVF must obtain a licence from the regulator. In the case of private patients, the licence fee of £75 per treatment is paid by the patient whereas the NHS pays the fee for the patient. If the fee for NHS treatment was waived, more couples could receive the treatment.

Recent budget cuts and strains on the NHS has seen IVF treatment limited to one or two cycles per eligible patient despite guidance issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in 2004 stating all NHS primary care trusts must offer three free cycles.

Medical professionals and fertility experts are angered by the surplus acquired by the HFEA and say it should be reinvested into treatment to benefit infertility patients. The surplus is enough to offer 1000 free cycles of IVF to NHS patients.

Currently, hundreds of couples are denied IVF on the NHS as it simply cannot afford the costs of the treatment and license. Women must be between 23 and 40 and meet certain criteria to be considered eligible for the free cycles.

Surplus is ‘prudent’ budgeting

The HFEA say the surplus is a result of ‘prudent’ budgeting. They expected the number of couples coming forward for IVF would fall because of recession but surprisingly, the number has continues to climb.

A spokesperson for the regulator said that they agreed with the Department of Health that the surplus would not be returned to clinics as there was no way to ensure the money would be forwarded back to those who paid it.

Instead, the HFEA said it planned to use the surplus funding to “create benefit for patients”, a proposal rejected by the Government.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said, “Through the annual business planning process we are having ongoing discussions with the HFEA to ensure that its future spending and revenue deliver the most efficient and effective service for patients and those who are regulated.”

Photography: Emiliano Harcada @Flickr
Source: HFEA