IVF techniques – hardly a “quality label”

Publié le 11 May, 2016

The EBART European Congress, held in Barcelona at the end of April, highlighted the fact that IVF techniques were mostly “based on supposition” and were “not scientifically proven”. To date, “only 14% of publications advising on medically assisted reproduction techniques available to women comply with Evidence Based Medicine criteria”. The reliability and interest of recent IVF techniques were challenged by the 300 European scientists and doctors in attendance.

 

“Many are based on supposition” and “ a good number [of IVF techniques] are practised without any proof of patient benefit”, “without thorough investigation in clinical trials,” explained Doctors Rita Vassena[1] and Valérie Vernaeve[2]. Their concern: “not so much a safety issue”, but “a potential waste of time and money”.

 

This applies in particular to the Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) programme, which selects embryos on the basis of a biopsy, Time Lapse, a “non-invasive” embryo selection technique from Assisted Hatching, which involves making the pellucid zone of the embryo fragile to help it to become implanted, or even AneVivo.

 

“MAP specialists” are thus in favour of attaching a “quality label” for these techniques, more and more of which are being launched on the market.

 

[1] Scientific Director of the Eugin Clinic

[2] Medical Director of the Eugin Clinic

Le quotidien du médecin, Laetitia Vergnac (12/05/2016); La Dépêche (11/05/2016)

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