A major fertility show has been criticized for its “exorbitant” products for couples after the British Fertility Society withdrew its support.
The association, which represents top IVF professionals, said it would no longer attend the London Fertility Show due to concerns of selling “non-medical treatments” to couples trying to have a baby.
The charity Progress Educational Trust, which continues to participate in the show, said it warned people to be wary of the “exorbitant” prices for products and services, many of which were of “questionable value.”
Items sold by the companies at the two-day event at Olympia next month will include additional items of up to £130.
At the last in-person Fertility Show in 2019, visitors can pay £75 a month for royal jelly produced by bees, including “promoting fertility” and “boosting libido”, according to the show’s website.
The association, which represents top IVF professionals, has said it will no longer participate in the London Fertility Show due to concerns of selling “non-medical treatments” to couples trying to have a baby (archive image)
Other items available from companies with booths in 2019 included a fertility lifestyle box shipped to people’s homes for £39 a month and a jar of liquid fish oil for £47.50 a month.
Royal jelly will not be sold in the future, according to the organizers of the fair, which attracts about 2,000 visitors each year and speaks to experts who offer advice on conception.
But Dr Raj Mathur, a gynecologist and president of the British Fertility Society, said the non-medical treatments offered “include alternative treatments with no or little evidence that they can improve fertility”.
She advised couples to “decide on fertility treatments and products by talking to a clinic that knows them well.”
The fertility charity Progress Educational Trust, which continues to participate in the show, said it has warned people to be wary of the “exorbitant” prices of products and services, many of which are of “doubtful value.” archive)
The Progress Educational Trust distributes bags of salt to remind visitors to take “with a pinch of salt” everything they see and hear at the show.
The organizers, including former fertility patients, said: “We have received feedback from past shows and we can guarantee that there will be no royal jelly at this show.
“We agree with Dr. Mathur that patients need to make informed choices and understand the treatments offered, which is the ultimate goal of the show.”
The Human Fertilization and Embryology Institute will also attend the event.
Source: Daily Mail
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