How choosing a regulated fertility clinic can make all the difference

When you’re starting or growing your family through fertility treatment, you deserve to feel safe, informed, and supported every step of the way. Recent news and stories have left many looking into fertility options worried and questioning whether their clinic is regulated and what to do or where to go if a company closes during treatment. Protecting yourself at a vulnerable and emotional time is understandable.

In the UK, we’re fortunate to have one of the strictest fertility treatment regulatory frameworks in the world, but these regulations only apply if you choose a licensed fertility clinic.

What does ‘regulated’ actually mean?

In the UK, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is the independent regulator of fertility treatment and research involving human embryos. Licensed fertility clinics must follow clinical, legal, and ethical standards to protect patients and their future families from emotional distress, financial loss and loss of faith in genuine providers.

This includes:

Undergoing regular inspections by the HFEA
Strict protocols for storing and handling embryos, eggs, and sperm
Requirements for counselling and patient support
Mandatory reporting of treatment outcomes
High standards for data protection and consent.

The HFEA publishes inspection and patient ratings for every regulated clinic, so you can see exactly how a clinic is performing. You can search for a clinic to view specific treatments, opening hours, patient ratings, success rates and more all in one place. Plus, every clinic is licensed so you know they’re safe too.

What about fertility agencies or “concierge services”?

Over recent years, a growing number of ‘fertility concierge’ services or virtual agencies have entered the UK market. It is not entirely clear how many are currently operating, but those who follow the industry believe their number is growing.

Concierge or virtual fertility providers offer services like matching patients with donors, the right medication and choosing specialists for them. Some offer remote coordination of your fertility journey, connecting you with other clinics and specialist tests, but they may not be licensed fertility clinics themselves. Concierge services don’t typically have physical premises to store eggs, sperm or embryos themselves, so this often leaves questions on the patient journey and how joined-up this will be.

While some may provide appear to be provide a competent service, they won’t be covered by the same strict legal safeguards. When things go wrong, patients can find themselves without continuity of care or legal protection unlike those who use an HFEA-regulated clinic. There is often confusion about who is truly responsible in adversity.

Lister Fertility Clinic: Proud to be fully licensed and rated 5/5

At Lister Fertility Clinic, patient safety and transparency are at the heart of everything we do. Our clinics are fully licensed and regularly inspected by the HFEA, and we’re proud to hold an inspection and patient rating of 5/5 for both of our licences - the highest possible score.

For over 35 years, we’ve supported thousands of families with the highest standards of clinical care, emotional support, and ongoing counselling.

Our experienced team of doctors, nurses, embryologists, and counsellors are here to guide you with honesty and reliability, and with over 23,000 babies being born as a result of our care, compassion and world-class expertise, you’re in safe hands.

Your next steps

When you’re making one of the biggest decisions of your life, you deserve the protection of a HFEA-regulated clinic and a team who will be with you, not just for the good news, but for every step of the journey.

Before you begin, ensure you check your provider’s HFEA status, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion if you feel unsure.

If you’d like to talk to our team about how we can support you, we’re here to help.

Before you start your family, visit ours.

Find out more about our clinics here or call us on +44 (0)203 733 4385 to learn more.