PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

International Fertility Societies call for harmonization of cross-border reproductive care standards

The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the International Federation of Fertility Societies are concerned that the safety of patients crossing borders is not assured due to lack of uniform clinical standards between countries

2010-09-14
(Press-News.org) "The IFFS's 'Surveillance 2010' report, compiled by Professor Ian Cooke and published on 14 September 2010, illustrates this for over 100 countries. The survey highlights how widely assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are being used and how different cultures are regulating services in different ways. In most countries there is no state or insurance support, so these services are costly and frequently beyond the reach of many families. In some countries access to donor gametes is denied or supply is limited.

To address the safety of patients that seek treatment abroad, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), in co-operation with national and statutory organisations, is currently developing a 'Code of Practice on Cross Border Reproductive Care'. It will lay out a set of rules that protects and reassures patients, donors, surrogates and future children.

"Although in principle the care of foreign and local patients should essentially be the same and fit the best possible standards, there is evidence that it is not always so," says Françoise Shenfield, co-ordinator of ESHRE's Cross Border Task Force and author of the first study of European patients crossing borders to obtain fertility treatments. The ESHRE Taskforce plans to finalise an approved Code of Practice and steps for implementation, before the end of the year.

Both international organisations support the rights of patients to travel to receive the best treatment. Ideally this should take place in their home country, but if patients need to travel to receive the best treatment, both societies support this decision.

At the same time, ESHRE and IFFS call for the harmonisation of national standards to increase the safety of patients crossing borders to obtain fertility treatments in the hope that uniform standards of practice can ensure equitable treatment for all citizens.

Cross-border reproductive care is a growing phenomenon. Reasons for patients to seek fertility treatment abroad are either legal restrictions and/or unavailable treatments. The International Federation of Fertility Societies has surveyed global infertility services and has drawn attention to the disparity in international regulatory frameworks.

Speaking on behalf of the IFFS, its Director of Education, Ian Cooke acknowledged "the variation in international laws relating to infertility treatment is one of the reasons that cause couples to seek cross-border treatment. Whilst this is unavoidable we call for international standards to ensure these patients receive consistent advice and safe treatment". "Although a country's law or professional society guideline for treatment may reflect the overall cultural view in that jurisdiction, it does not necessarily mean that all that country's residents have the same view. They may then seek access to the proscribed treatment abroad."

INFORMATION: For more information on the ESHRE Code of Practice: Hanna Hanssen, Communications Manager ESHRE, Tel: + 32 (0)2 263 64 66, hanna@eshre.eu.

For more information on the IFFS Surveillance Report: Tom Parkhill, Press Officer IFFS, Tel: +44 (0) 131 208 3008, Mob: +44 (0) 750 921 54 65, tom@parkhill.it

The IFFS Surveillance 2010 report can be downloaded at www.iffs-reproduction.org



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

September/October 2010 Annals of Family Medicine tip sheet

2010-09-14
Low Adherence with Regular Fecal Occult Blood Test Screening Among Insured Patients In a large U.S. health plan, nearly one-half of patients who initiated biennial fecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening did not adhere to subsequent colorectal screening in the ensuing 2-year period, compromising the effectiveness of the screening endeavor which hinges on regular screening. Analyzing data on 11,110 patients enrolled in a Washington State health plan who completed an FOBT during the baseline period (2000-2001), researchers found 47 percent received no colorectal screening ...

Farm management choice can benefit fungi key to healthy ecosystems

2010-09-14
Farming practices have a significant impact on the diversity of beneficial microbial fungi known to play important roles in crop productivity, soil recovery and maintenance of healthy ecosystems, according to new research published today (14 September 2010) in the journal Environmental Microbiology. The conclusions could have important implications for the way humans manage the agricultural landscape and tackle food security issues. The study was led by Dr Christopher van der Gast at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), UK and Dr Gary Bending from the University ...

Childhood cancer survivors show sustained benefit from common ADHD medication

2010-09-14
A medicine widely used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also provides long-term relief from the attention and behavior changes that affect many childhood cancer survivors, according to a multicenter trial led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators. Researchers reported that one year after starting the drug methylphenidate, young cancer survivors scored better on tests of sustained attention and other measures of attention, social skills and behavior than did a similar group of unmedicated survivors. While taking methylphenidate, ...

Igor now a Category 4 hurricane with icy cloud tops and heavy rainfall

Igor now a Category 4 hurricane with icy cloud tops and heavy rainfall
2010-09-14
NASA Satellites have noticed two distinct features in Igor that both indicate how powerful he has become, icy cold, high cloud tops and very heavy rainfall. NASA's Aqua and TRMM satellites have provided that insight to forecasters who are predicting Igor's next move as a powerful Category 4 Hurricane. Last week, Igor was a tropical storm who faded into a tropical depression. The National Hurricane Center had forecast that over the weekend Igor would approach more favorable conditions (low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures) causing it to strengthen into a hurricane ...

NASA sees Tropical Storm Julia born with strong thunderstorms and heavy rainfall

NASA sees Tropical Storm Julia born with strong thunderstorms and heavy rainfall
2010-09-14
Tropical Depression 12 was born in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean yesterday, Sept. 12 and two NASA satellites saw factors that indicated she would later strengthen into Tropical Storm Julia. Infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite revealed strong convection in its center that powered the storm into tropical storm status by 11 p.m. EDT. NASA's TRMM satellite indicated very heavy rainfall from that strong area of convection. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies on NASA's Aqua satellite gives scientists and meteorologists clues about how a tropical ...

Targeted agent shows promise for chronic lymphoid leukemia

2010-09-14
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James) have identified an experimental agent that targets chronic lymphocytic leukemia and perhaps other proliferative disorders of lymphocytes. Their study shows that the small-molecule inhibitor CAL-101 directly promotes cell death by apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells and disrupts several external survival pathways needed for CLL cell viability and proliferation. The agent blocks ...

New task force report on bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures in osteoporosis patients

2010-09-14
Washington, DC, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010– A widely prescribed class of drugs is highly effective in reducing common bone fractures in people with osteoporosis, but an expert panel announced today that these same drugs – when used long term – may be related to unusual but serious fractures of the thigh bone. In the most comprehensive scientific report to date on the topic, the task force reviewed 310 cases of "atypical femur fractures," and found that 94 percent (291) of patients had taken the drugs, most for more than five years. The task force members emphasized that atypical ...

New studies highlight benefits of teacher coaching

2010-09-14
A set of studies released in this month's special issue of The Elementary School Journal reveals the powerful effect that the coaching of teachers can have on both teachers and students. "Many in the field have trusted that intuitive feeling that putting a knowledgeable coach in a classroom to work with a teacher will result in improved teacher practices and increased student learning," write the issue's guest editors, Misty Sailors of The University of Texas at San Antonio and Nancy L. Shanklin of University of Colorado, Denver. "The jury of these researchers and the ...

Study identifies underlying dysfunction of seemingly non-critical heart condition

2010-09-14
Repairing small, seemingly benign holes in a child's heart may be more clinically important than previously thought, as dysfunction could be lurking out of sight. These are the findings from a study conducted by doctors and researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University Medical Center examining a subset of the most common form of congenital heart disease, ventricular septal defect. The recently published study appears in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, the official journal of the International Society for Heart Research. Ventricular ...

Virtual data rooms are tools for buyers too

2010-09-14
Years ago the idea of using a virtual data room (VDR) seemed like it would never be accepted. The concept of taking paper due diligence materials and placing them 'online' seemed too far fetched to work. People felt the internet would never have the level of security or the speed required to display sensitive corporate information to outside parties. Once internet connection speeds increased and security measures improved so did the idea of people reviewing information on a computer screen from the comfort of their own office. Today, VDR awareness is still growing and the ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Community partners key to success of vaccine clinic focused on neurodevelopmental conditions

Low-carbon collaborative dual-layer optimization for energy station considering joint electricity and heat demand response

McMaster University researchers uncover potential treatment for rare genetic disorders

The return of protectionism: The impact of the Sino-US trade war

UTokyo and NARO develop new vertical seed distribution trait for soybean breeding

Research into UK’s use of plastic packaging finds households ‘wishcycle’ rather than recycle – risking vast contamination

Vaccine shows promise against aggressive breast cancer

Adverse events affect over 1 in 3 surgery patients, US study finds

Outsourcing adult social care has contributed to England’s care crisis, argue experts

The Lancet: Over 800 million adults living with diabetes, more than half not receiving treatment, global study suggests

New therapeutic approach for severe COVID-19: faster recovery and reduction in mortality

Plugged wells and reduced injection lower induced earthquake rates in Oklahoma

Yin selected as a 2024 American Society of Agronomy Fellow

Long Covid could cost the economy billions every year

Bluetooth technology unlocks urban animal secrets

This nifty AI tool helps neurosurgeons find sneaky cancer cells

Treatment advances, predictive biomarkers stand to improve bladder cancer care

NYC's ride-hailing fee failed to ease Manhattan traffic, new NYU Tandon study reveals

Meteorite contains evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago

Self-reported screening helped reduce distressing symptoms for pediatric patients with cancer

Which risk factors are linked to having a severe stroke?

Opening borders for workers: Abe’s profound influence on Japan’s immigration regime

How skills from hospitality and tourism can propel careers beyond the industry

Research shows managers of firms handling recalls should review media scrutiny before deciding whether to lobby

New model system for the development of potential active substances used in condensate modifying drugs

How to reduce social media stress by leaning in instead of logging off

Pioneering research shows sea life will struggle to survive future global warming

In 10 seconds, an AI model detects cancerous brain tumor often missed during surgery 

Burden of RSV–associated hospitalizations in US adults, October 2016 to September 2023

Repurposing semaglutide and liraglutide for alcohol use disorder

[Press-News.org] International Fertility Societies call for harmonization of cross-border reproductive care standards
The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the International Federation of Fertility Societies are concerned that the safety of patients crossing borders is not assured due to lack of uniform clinical standards between countries