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Egg donor compensation is to triple under new HFEA guidelines | Egg donor compensation is to triple under new HFEA guidelines |
(about 3 hours later) | |
By Jane Hughes & James Gallagher BBC News | |
The UK's fertility watchdog has agreed to triple the compensation given to women who donate eggs to help infertile couples to have a child. | The UK's fertility watchdog has agreed to triple the compensation given to women who donate eggs to help infertile couples to have a child. |
Donors currently have their expenses paid and up to £250 to cover lost earnings. | |
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has decided to pay a one-off fee of £750 per course of donation. | The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has decided to pay a one-off fee of £750 per course of donation. |
Experts believe this will encourage more women to donate, but critics warn it may create financial incentives. | |
Under EU rules a donor cannot be "paid", however, they can be "compensated". | |
Juliet Tizzard, head of policy at the HFEA, said the current rules did not work and "some donors are out of pocket and they do feel undervalued at times". | |
The decision to move to a one-off payment was made at a public meeting of the fertility watchdog on Wednesday. The idea was to balance fairly compensating donors with the risk of encouraging people to donate merely for financial gain. | |
The head of the HFEA, Prof Lisa Jardine said: "I believe it is fair. | |
"I find it very hard to see £750 as an inducement, I see it as fair reflection of the effort, the time and the pain." | |
However she said the figure was "a very highly educated guess at what will feel to people like compensation". | |
Invasive process | |
There are currently long waits in the UK - sometimes five years or more - for couples seeking donor eggs. | There are currently long waits in the UK - sometimes five years or more - for couples seeking donor eggs. |
In a significant number of cases they travel abroad for treatment, often to Spain or the United States, where payments are higher and more women volunteer. | In a significant number of cases they travel abroad for treatment, often to Spain or the United States, where payments are higher and more women volunteer. |
But there can be risks involved with having treatment in countries where regulations are less stringent. | But there can be risks involved with having treatment in countries where regulations are less stringent. |
Egg donation is an invasive process, which involves daily hormone injections, scans every couple of days, and day surgery to recover the eggs. | Egg donation is an invasive process, which involves daily hormone injections, scans every couple of days, and day surgery to recover the eggs. |
Side-effects range from mood swings, bloating and pain, to rare but severe over-reactions to the hormones. | Side-effects range from mood swings, bloating and pain, to rare but severe over-reactions to the hormones. |
The National Gamete Donation Trust, which helps couples seeking egg or sperm donors, welcomed the change. | The National Gamete Donation Trust, which helps couples seeking egg or sperm donors, welcomed the change. |
"A balance is being struck between recognising the wonderful gift of donation yet not affecting the purity of donors' motives," said Laura Witjens, chairwoman of the NGDT. | "A balance is being struck between recognising the wonderful gift of donation yet not affecting the purity of donors' motives," said Laura Witjens, chairwoman of the NGDT. |
"Altruistic motives should remain at the core of donation, and payment should never facilitate coercion." | "Altruistic motives should remain at the core of donation, and payment should never facilitate coercion." |
But Olivia Montuschi of the Donor Conception Network, a self-help network of donors and families of children conceived by egg or sperm donation, said she was deeply disappointed by the HFEA decision. | But Olivia Montuschi of the Donor Conception Network, a self-help network of donors and families of children conceived by egg or sperm donation, said she was deeply disappointed by the HFEA decision. |
"It will be something you will come to regret," she said. "The perception will be that you are paying donors. £750 would make a huge difference to a young woman." | "It will be something you will come to regret," she said. "The perception will be that you are paying donors. £750 would make a huge difference to a young woman." |
'Commodity' | 'Commodity' |
The British Fertility Society supports an increase in compensation payment, but said it was important to ensure that women continued to volunteer for altruistic reasons. | The British Fertility Society supports an increase in compensation payment, but said it was important to ensure that women continued to volunteer for altruistic reasons. |
"The level of compensation should be raised so that it is commensurate with what a donor has to go through," said BFS chair, Tony Rutherford. | "The level of compensation should be raised so that it is commensurate with what a donor has to go through," said BFS chair, Tony Rutherford. |
But opponents worry about the impact of increased payments. | But opponents worry about the impact of increased payments. |
Dr David King, Director of Human Genetics Alert, said it will create a financial incentive for women. | Dr David King, Director of Human Genetics Alert, said it will create a financial incentive for women. |
"Ethically, it's wrong to make part of the human body a commodity," he said. "The body should not be part of commerce." | "Ethically, it's wrong to make part of the human body a commodity," he said. "The body should not be part of commerce." |
Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: "Egg harvesting is an invasive and dangerous process and women should not be induced with ever larger sums of money to incur such risks." | |
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below: | Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below: |