This Centre has an active research program because we believe that there are still too many unanswered questions about early human development.
We undertake studies that are aimed not only to improve your treatment but also to develop new treatments that may help others in the future. We carry out surveys about your views on your problems and at the treatments offered.
We also train laboratory staff in routine techniques and may ask if we can use your eggs, sperm or embryos to help in this training if they are not needed for your treatment and would otherwise be discarded. We train staff in embryo biopsy, freezing, thawing, injection and handling of sperm, eggs and embryos.
We will ask you when you first come to discuss treatment if you have objections to donating cells to research or training. If so, we will respect that decision without question and we will not ask you about it again, and your decision.
If you agree you can vary or withdraw consent up until the point at which your eggs, sperm or embryos are used in training. Whether or not you agree will have no impact on your clinical treatment in any way. Our principal aim is to help you achieve a family and the research or training that we carry out will not alter your chances of a pregnancy.
We will only use embryos or eggs which are not required or not wanted for treatment and would otherwise be allowed to perish. It is unlikely to provide any relevant information about you but we will let you know any results if appropriate. Cells that are used in research or training cannot be then used for treatment and will be allowed to perish.
If you wish to know more about our research and training procedures, we would be happy to discuss this with you when you come to the clinic.
