Deal for IVF women
Jan 8 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal
FIFTEEN women have become the first group to begin a controversial IVF scheme in which they receive treatment at a reduced cost in return for some of their eggs.
Through the world-first scheme, the participants receive £1,500 – around half the cost of their treatment – for donating half of their eggs.
Around 100 women came forward after the North-East Stem Cell Institute’s programme was approved in October, but only a small percentage have been deemed suitable to continue with the treatment.
Their eggs are to be used in an area of stem cell research known as nuclear reprogramming or therapeutic cloning, with a view to developing treatments for diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.
Prof Alison Murdoch, head of department at the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life, said: “This is a worldwide first and it’s nice that Newcastle is right in the middle of it.
“It’s tremendous for Newcastle and we have the attention of the world on the programme.”
The 15 women approved for the scheme are all at various stages in the process, with six having already begun treatment.
They each had to go through a rigorous screening process and Prof Murdoch said it was vital to have such a system in place. “I think what’s important is making sure people are aware of the possible implications,” she added. “That is why so many have not been found to be suitable because we have given them the appropriate advice.”
The move came about in response to a shortage of eggs with past methods providing only 66 donations in seven months.
But Josephine Quintavalle, director of Comment on Reproductive Ethics (CORE), believes there is no justification for the programme.
She said: “We think it’s clearly a barter system where the woman is benefiting to the tune of £1,500 and it’s taking advantage of women at their most vulnerable. They are not working with a view to best IVF practice so the two processes are at odds.
“That all this is going on under one roof is extraordinary. There is no way in which the women are benefiting.
“People should not be enticed to do things like this and rather than being exploited in this way, they should be given the chance to have the infertility treatment they need.”
But, in response to the critics, Prof Murdoch argued that the women themselves should be free to choose whether or not they want to participate.
She said: “Clearly there are a number of ethical issues surrounding the programme. It went through three ethical committees and a public consultation.
“Ultimately, it’s the patients themselves who make the choice. We are talking about young intelligent couples who can make up their own minds.”
Prof Murdoch was unwilling to reveal the number of eggs that have been taken to date and also remained tight-lipped over the latest research developments.
She said: “It will be at least a year before we have anything to publish, and to talk about it before then would not be helpful. We have to be responsible.”
People interested in finding out more about egg sharing can call (0191) 282-5000 or visit www.nesci.ac.uk
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What happens to the eggs once they have been donated?
But how do the scientists propose to use the eggs for this purpose?
Prof Murdoch said: “Basically, we are learning about how cells decide what they are going to be.
“When an egg is fertilised, it forms unique genetic material. Each cell then decides which cell it is going to be.
“If you take a skin cell and put it in an egg which has had its own genetic material removed, you can change what kind of cell it is.
“We are not doing anything that nature doesn’t do, except that nature does it at the foetal stage.”
The process is called nuclear reprogramming, or therapeutic cloning.
Prof Murdoch added: “With Parkinson’s disease, there is one particular type of cell which has stopped working.
“Theoretically, if you could replace that cell, it could be beneficial.”
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