Budget drug that could triple the chances of pregnancy blocked by NHS

A budget drug that could triple a woman’s chances of getting pregnant has been rejected by the NHS in the UK.

The £4 (€4.56) drug has been found to hugely increase the chances of conceiving, however the NHS has rejected the use of the treatment for women who have unexplained infertility. Guidelines currently suggest that couple try for years to conceive before turning to IVF, however this budget drug would greatly increase the chances of conception when combined with insemination. The concept has been tested in New Zealand where couples were 20 percent more likely to conceive using this treatment than those who followed traditional advice.

“I would really hope the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will look at this now,” lead researcher, Professor Cindy Farquhar said of the findings. “Asking women to ‘just keep trying’ is pretty unpopular. “IVF has such a burden physically and emotionally. This treatment [known as intrauterine stimulation – IUI] is a lower impact – a slow but steady approach without such an emotional and physical burden.”

Now patients who wish to avail of the drug will have to pay for private treatment, which could cost up to £1,800 (€2,051).