All fertility clinics to be fully licensed by the end of the year

COUPLES seeking fertility treatment will be able to check whether clinics are fully licensed under new rules on the quality and safety of human tissue and cells from next year.

The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) is inspecting fertility clinics to ensure that their quality systems comply with a new EU directive that became Irish law last April. It is expected that all clinics will be fully licensed by the end of the year.

Laboratory manager at Human Assisted Reproduction Ireland (HARI) Dr Declan Keane said the new quality and safety standards were a step in the right direction.