Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of taking immunosuppressant drugs in cases of pregnancy after organ transplant on babies in utero.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Some immunosuppressive drugs are known to cause a structural or functional change in the foetus, known as teratogenic drugs, and so this is a critical area of concern in transplant medicine, and discussion with a patient’s transplant team is important to ensure the most appropriate immunosuppressive regime is provided for the best care of both parent and embryo.
NHS England Specialised Commissioning has not undertaken a specific impact assessment of taking immunosuppressant drugs during pregnancy on babies in utero, specifically in the context of transplant recipients. However, guidance is typically informed by a combination of clinical experience, research literature, and recommendations from broader medical bodies. The policies and practices in place in solid organ transplant centres are evidence based, and consider the safety and efficacy of the use of these drugs, including where National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evaluations have taken place.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will mandate the compulsory listing of health risks on adverts placed by the NHS and fertility clinics which seek egg donors.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the United Kingdom’s fertility sector regulator, has advised that it sets out strict requirements in its Licence Conditions and Code of Practice in relation to the recruitment of donors and the information that must be given to egg donors in advance of donating at United Kingdom licensed fertility clinics, which includes information about the potential immediate or longer-term health risks. The HFEA Code of Practice states that advertising should be designed with regard to the sensitive issues involved in recruiting donors and should follow the Advertising Standards Authority codes.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not considered additional compulsory listing of health risks on adverts for egg donors.