16.02.12
HFEA surplus could fund 1,000 free IVF cycles
Britain’s fertility regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has raised a surplus of over £3m from charges on the clinics it licenses. This unspent funding could have provided 1,000 free cycles of IVF on the NHS.
HFEA charges a £75 fee for every IVF treatment, which is either paid by the patient if they have gone private, or by the clinic if the treatment is via the NHS. 132 clinics are licensed and they each pay an average of £36,000 a year.
The surplus was built up to protect against the predicted fall in demand, HFEA said, due to budget cuts and the recession. However, demand has continued to increase. HFEA cut its charges by 28% last year, but some say this money should go back into the NHS to spend on IVF treatment.
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.”
Clare Lewis-Jones, chief executive of Infertility Network, said: “We strongly believe that the funds built up by the HFEA should be reinvested back into the area which they regulate and that infertility patients should benefit.”
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