In vitro fertilisation for all?

doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7414.511

BMJ 2003;327:511-512 (6 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7414.511

Editorial

In vitro fertilisation for all?

The question is for local purchasers to answer, not for NICE

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) was establishedin 1999 to provide authoritative advice to the NHS on the clinicaland cost effectiveness of medical technologies, to devise andapprove guidelines for the use of such technologies, and tocontribute to improvement of quality in the NHS. In late 2000it was asked by the then secretary of state for health, AlanMilburn, to consider treatment of fertility in the NHS. It hasnow produced draft guidelines for consultation.¹

By far the largest part of this guideline is an exemplary seriesof evidence based recommendations about particular techniquesand protocols used in the management of infertility. Most mediaattention has been paid, however, to the proposed recommendationabout the level of service to be provided to couples experiencingdifficulties in conceiving. NICE proposes that all couples meetingcertain clinical criteria should have up to three complete cyclesof in . . . [Full text of this article]

Richard E Ashcroft, Leverhulme senior lecturer in medical ethics

Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, Imperial College London, London W6 8RP (r.ashcroft@imperial.ac.uk)

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

StumbleUpon Add to Technorati

Technorati What's this?

Relevant Articles

In vitro fertilisation for all?: Fertility treatment may be an economic blessing: Jonathan H West
BMJ 2003 327: 1226. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

In vitro fertilisation for all?: Postcode lottery is more complex than it seems: Gaby J Tobias
BMJ 2003 327: 1226. [Extract] [Full Text]

In vitro fertilisation for all?: Central planning is required: Gillian M Lockwood
BMJ 2003 327: 1226. [Extract] [Full Text]

In vitro fertilisation for all?: Society must hear the voices of infertile people: Alison P Murdoch
BMJ 2003 327: 1226. [Extract] [Full Text]

In vitro fertilisation for all?: Local decision making has led to inequality: Raj Mathur
BMJ 2003 327: 1226. [Extract] [Full Text]

Be bold and be sensible: Richard Smith
BMJ 2003 327: 0. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

McMillan, J R (2003). NICE, the draft fertility guideline and dodging the big question. J. Med. Ethics 29: 313-314 [Full text]
West, J. H (2003). In vitro fertilisation for all?: Fertility treatment may be an economic blessing. BMJ 327: 1226-1226 [Full text]
Tobias, G. J (2003). In vitro fertilisation for all?: Postcode lottery is more complex than it seems. BMJ 327: 1226-1226 [Full text]
Lockwood, G. M (2003). In vitro fertilisation for all?: Central planning is required. BMJ 327: 1226-1226 [Full text]
Murdoch, A. P (2003). In vitro fertilisation for all?: Society must hear the voices of infertile people. BMJ 327: 1226-1226 [Full text]
Mathur, R. (2003). In vitro fertilisation for all?: Local decision making has led to inequality. BMJ 327: 1226-1226 [Full text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Fertility treatment � an economic blessing or burden?: Jonathan H West
bmj.com, 7 Sep 2003 [Full text]
Post code lottery- more complex than it appears: Gaby J Tobias
bmj.com, 8 Sep 2003 [Full text]
In vitro fertilisation for all: Gillian M Lockwood
bmj.com, 12 Sep 2003 [Full text]
In vitro fertilisation for all?: Alison P Murdoch, et al.
bmj.com, 14 Sep 2003 [Full text]
Local decision-making has lead to discrimination: Raj Mathur, et al.
bmj.com, 14 Sep 2003 [Full text]
End the policy confusion: Roger Worthington (MA PhD)
bmj.com, 21 Nov 2003 [Full text]