Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 18 December 2007 (WA 116–7), what data is held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) regarding the mortality rate from ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in the United Kingdom; and whether this matches the situation described by Professor Adam Balen in his report to the HFEA in August 2008.
Answer
The prescribing of fertility drugs that can lead to ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS) is not a licensable activity under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 and is therefore not regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The HFEA does not routinely collect information about cases of OHSS occurring in connection with treatment at each HFEA licensed centre, other than where this is reported in the context of an adverse incident report. While the HFEA receives limited data about OHSS it is not possible from these data to calculate the incidence of OHSS for each clinic in relation to the population treated. The HFEA has advised that it cannot comment on centres that were responsible for generating the data in the paper referred to in Human Fertility (volume 10, issue 3, pages 183 — 187). The HFEA did not write or contribute data to the paper.