NICE recommends free IVF

Tuesday, 26 August 2003 5:46 AM

The NHS should offer free in vitro fertilisation, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence has recommended.

In the second draft of clinical guideline, the government health watchdog claims infertile couples should be offered three batches of treatment using fresh embryos on the NHS.

Backers hope the expansion of the service will bring to an end the so-called "postcode lottery" for fertility treatment in England and Wales.

Currently, only one in five IVF treatments are funded by the NHS. Around 20 per cent of couples are estimated to be infertile.

But some will lose out if ministers adopt the recommendations.

NICE recommends that only women aged 23 to 39 should be eligible for IVF treatment.

Women of 40 and over would be excluded as the probability of successful fertilisation declines at this age.

Each "fresh" cycle of IVF costs the NHS about 3,000 pounds.

Estimates have it that the annual cost of IVF for the NHS could rocket to 100 million pounds.

The watchdog is expected to publish its final guidance in February 2004.

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