# NICE Guidelines for Fertility Treatment due to be published Feb 2013



## Cay23

NICE produced new draft guidelines for fertility treatment in May 2012. It has been out for consultation and the draft can be found here: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/12157/59278/59278.pdf It is due to be published in February. New recommendations are on page 18.

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## larka

"In women aged under 40 years who have not conceived after 2 years of regular unprotected intercourse or 12 cycles of artificial insemination (where six or more are intrauterine insemination) offer three full treatment cycles of IVF, with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection. [new 2012]"

Does this mean get 3 funded cycles on the NHS? Or does this still depend on area? We currently only get one on NHS.


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## ceesaw

Still depends on area unfortunately.
NICE is guidance not a 'Must Do'


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## Lil Elvis

This topic looks likely to be all over the news tomorrow (Wednesday 20th).

The BBC have done taping today for the TV news and are running interviews on the Radio 4 Today programme. Daybreak are going to CARE in Northampton tomorrow morning too.

Sadly Ceesaw is right and it is all actually pointless as the PCTs will just continue to ignore it in the same way that they have the existing guidelines.


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## SarahE83

BBC had a segment about it this morning as well (it was about 7.35am-ish, just as I was leaving for work)


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## Lil Elvis

BBC in big doo-doo with NICE as it is embargoed til tomorrow!


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## orchidd

I just think it is all totally pointless! Why bother getting everyone's hopes up just for the PCT's to decide their own criteria & completely ignore the guidelines anyway?

Unless they make these guidelines compulsory then it is all a waste of time and money 

It just makes me really angry that it's our hopes that get trampled on time & time again. I heard the news and got so excited as I am 39 in March (my cut off age for funding) and have been battling my weight for the past year. I've lost 3.5 stone and am now within a stone of the criteria bmi, but I have run out of time. There's no way I can lose the last stone and have my initial appointment and have started the ivf drugs before my birthday (which my criteria states I have to do before my actual 39th birthday).......so of course when I got wind of the new guidelines I got my hopes up that all may not be lost.......until I came down to earth with a bump realising it's not compulsory, that each pct will do what they want anyway regardless of the guidelines

Gutted


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## Cay23

Interesting summary of journalist's response to (and misunderstanding of) the new guidance: http://fertilitymatters.org.uk/fertility-treatment-2/my-day-explaining-what-the-new-nice-guideline-really-says/


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## Lil Elvis

I was the 'rabbit in the headlights' on the BBC news last week because I would have 'qualified' under the new guidelines. They cut my stuff into chunks and showed different bits over the course of the day. I tried to get across how unfair it all was. I know many believe that IF isn't an illness and that we should entirely self-fund but hopefully even a few more people will empathise with us. 

Caroline


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## IVFPetitAnge

I agree it builds hopes with NICE is only a guideline ;(


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## Holly-81

Apologies new to the site so this is delayed......BUT I DON'T GET IT!!!!!!!
I thought the purpose of NICE was to provide "national" guidance on how disorders should be treated so therefore don't understand how a CCG can change *national* evidence (economic and value) based to regional nonsense!!! I am all for ensuring our NHS money is well spent based on Clinical AND Economical evidence but I don't see evidence based medicine in the CCG agenda


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## Sheilaweb

It's a refreshing change on the Fertility Matters site, that infertility and thereby the seeking of 'treatment' is not a "lifestyle choice".....but sadly I think that's exactly what Joe Public thinks - why is the nhs being squeezed to fund infertile couples when there are thousands of children waiting to be fostered or adopted.... thats why I hate the Independent who take on the role of Joe Public - and then below the article are horrendous comments from misformed and misguided ranting members of the public who have no idea that infertility effects all aspects of our daily life and the stress and anxiety it places on you as an individual or you as part of a couple.

We infertile ladies are easy targets - but I think we're all strong, supportive and encouraging.

I just wish that NICE weren't just 'guidelines' but PCT's followed their lead and offered what is ethically and morally a right.  

Sheila


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## Coldilox

These new guidelines are bad news for me. Our CCG has implemented them fully, previously they followed old guidelines. For same sex couples (for whom there were no guidelines), there was funding after they had had three failed IUI attempts. Now, with these guidelines, you have to have had 12 failed artificial inseminations, at least 6 of which must be IUI. We've just had three, and now moving onto IVF which we'll now have to pay for - we've we're advised to try 3 IUI by our doctor. We would never be willing to try at home with a known donor, so that would mean 12 tries in a clinic (IUI) which would cost £14-£16k (including donor sperm) before being able to access IVF on the NHS. and tbats for unmedicated cycles. That's just not realistic - no clinic would advise carrying on with IUI for 12 cycles if it was repeatedly failing.


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