Lord Palmer of Childs Hill
Main Page: Lord Palmer of Childs Hill (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Fertility Treatment Regulation
Lord Palmer of Childs Hill Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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Lord Palmer of Childs Hill (LD)
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, for bringing this matter to the House. At present, the HFEA regulations are under a law that is over 35 years old, as identified by the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, and the legislation is unfit for the purpose in many areas. The HFEA has no flexibility to adjust its powers according to regulatory performance; it needs to reduce the regulatory burden for compliant clinics and focus oversight on those not meeting the required regulatory standards.
The noble Baroness, Lady Deech, summed it up when she talked about fining not closing clinics. The HFEA wants to achieve the greatest impact with the most proportionate sanction for the fertility sector as it is today, with many licensed clinics being part of large private equity-backed groups and more than 70% of patients self-funding. Should there be a financial penalty, which HFEA cannot impose at present? This must be better than removing or suspending a licence. The aim must be to improve compliance while not impacting existing patients.
The current regulations are also out of date where patient safety and other areas are concerned, but it has to be said that treatment in a UK-licensed fertility clinic continues to be very safe. However, we should not rest on our laurels. The UK needs to stay ahead of technical advances by reforming the legislation; the current law is inflexible and does not easily allow for scientific and medical innovation in an area where new treatments and extraordinary advances, such as stem cell-derived gametes, are around the corner. The HFEA is still considered globally the gold standard in fertility regulation, and the UK must not lose that reputation.
The UK fertility laws were enacted in 1990 and only partially reviewed in the HFE Act 2008. After over 35 years, it must be time for a new review of aspects of the legislation. Is the Minister able to give any hope that this sensible change can happen?
It is also very ironic that it is difficult for many patients to access publicly funded fertility treatment in the very country where IVF was originally pioneered.
The noble Baroness, Lady Deech, said she was not this and not that, but spoke with great eloquence. She said there would be many distinguished speakers speaking at length. I do not count myself among them and will listen with eagerness to what they have to say.