Fertility treatment for cancer patients
Tuesday, 15 Jan 2008 08:52
Cancer patients 'should be given access to fertililty treatment on the NHS'
Steps must be taken to ensure all cancer patients receive fertility treatment through the NHS, medical leaders said today.
Although current guidelines recommend universal access to sperm, egg and embryo storage, a survey of cancer specialists shows that these are not always widely available and funded, and are not universally provided.
Many cancer treatments do not affect fertility at all but chemotherapy and some forms of radiotherapy and surgery can damage the testicles or ovaries.
Fertility treatment for cancer patients includes banking sperm, creating embryos using IVF and storing them, and freezing eggs or portions of the ovary.
The Royal Colleges of Physicians, Radiologists and Obstetricians and Gynaecologists claim that although sperm banking is widely available in the UK it is not always available free of charge, and embryo storage is often, but not always, available and funded.
There are also no routine NHS facilities for banking eggs or portions of ovary.
In a working party report the colleges recommend that a national policy on sperm, egg and embryo storage is needed and that funding bodies develop equitable funding protocols for patients.
It also calls for patients to be fully informed of the risks of treatment at the time of diagnosis and for psychological support and counselling to be available.
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