Fears that fertility unit has destroyed embryos

A MAJOR NHS fertility centre has been reported to police over fears that embryos are being destroyed.

Homerton Fertility Centre in east London has been ordered to suspend services on the orders of the regulator after repeated cases where embryos did not survive the freezing process.

The regulator intervened after The

Telegraph raised concerns from whistleblowers, with the trust’s chief executive yesterday telling staff that the police have now been contacted.

The trust said it has “increased security and access points in the unit” amid concern about which staff had access to the storage areas for eggs, sperm and embryos.

Regulators were warned of a risk that 153 embryos, which have been frozen, may not survive its processes, with 45 patients affected, and fears from whistleblowers that the true numbers involved may be far larger.

The crisis is the latest to hit NHS fertility services, after two clinics told patients last month that their embryos may not be viable because a faulty solution was used.

Homerton, one of the leading units in London that treats around 360 patients a year, began contacting all fertility patients last night and has opened a helpline.

Those who are undergoing treatment will be given the option to continue their cycles at the trust, with attempts expected to be made to find room for others at different clinics.

The clinic’s patients include those undergoing cancer treatment who may have lost their chance of having children. So far 20 cases are understood to have been identified where embryos did not survive the process or were not retrievable.

The chief executive of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said that it had suspended the large centre’s licence to operate with immediate effect owing to “significant concerns about the clinic”.

Emails and incident reports seen by The Telegraph suggest that the trust made the HFEA aware of the risk that

153 embryos could end up destroyed or lost. An incident report form examining four cases where embryos went missing suggests that potential contamination of processes and handling of key equipment may be among contributory factors. An email from the HFEA to the trust on Jan 19 this year said: “I understand that it looks like potentially 45 patients (153 embryos that might not be found on thaw) could be affected.”

In a statement, the trust said: “Staff at Homerton Healthcare’s fertility centre are currently investigating issues relating to the storage of embryos. There have been three separate incidents within the unit which have highlighted errors in a small number of freezing processes. This has resulted in the tragic loss of a small number of embryos either not surviving or being undetectable altogether.” The trust said it had made the HFEA fully aware of an external investigation being carried out and contacted affected patients to apologise for any distress caused. The regulator said it had made provisions so patients who have already started medication as part of a treatment cycle can complete their treatment if they wish to do so. The trust has also been told it must ensure that eggs, sperm and embryos, which they hold in storage, are secure.

The trust said that while investigators had not been able to find the direct cause of the errors, it had made changes in the way the unit works in an attempt to prevent such incidents.

All staff now work in pairs, to ensure all activity is scrutinised by another health professional, with checks on the competencies of all staff and increased security of access points in the unit.

Louise Ashley, the chief executive of Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation trust said: “We are sending a letter to all our fertility patients apologising for the errors and for the concern this may have caused even if their eggs, embryos or sperm are unaffected. Current patients may continue to be treated at the unit despite the licence suspension by the HFEA.”

Peter Thompson, the chief executive of the HFEA, said: “The HFEA has suspended Homerton Fertility Centre’s licence to operate with immediate effect, due to significant concerns about the clinic. The HFEA Licence Committee made this decision because of the potential risk to patients, gametes and embryos if the clinic’s licence is not suspended with immediate effect.

“We do not want to disrupt patients’ treatment if they have already started medication as part of a treatment cycle, so we have made provisions to allow them to complete their treatment if they wish to do so. The clinic must continue to store eggs, sperm, and embryos safely.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “On March 8 officers from the Metropolitan Police attended Homerton Fertility Clinic after concerns were raised by the Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.”