Urgent report into embryo blunder

A senior executive from the NHS hospital has been suspended

The government has asked for an urgent report into the disappearance of frozen embryos used in fertility treatment.

Administration checks made at the North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke and the private Hampshire Clinic, which share facilities, revealed some embryos to be missing from storage.

This is an almost inevitable consequence of the commodification of human life

Paul Tully, SPUC

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said there was no suggestion that women had been implanted with the wrong embryos.

But the Health Secretary, Alan Milburn, has asked the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Liam Donaldson, to report urgently on what action the NHS can take to allay public fears.

Meanwhile, an anti-abortion group has condemned in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, saying that such a mishap was bound to happen.

Paul Tully, general secretary for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, said: "This is an almost inevitable consequence of the commodification of human life.

"We object to turning human procreation into a lab process. Part of the reason for that objection is on the grounds of the inevitable mishaps that occur."

Newspaper leak

The hospital said at least 10 couples hoping to be made pregnant through IVF treatment could be affected by the loss of the embryos - but The Sun newspaper reports the scandal may affect up to 80 women.

A spokesman for the hospital, which is run by an NHS Trust, confirmed that a senior member of staff had been suspended pending the outcome of an official probe.

We have to focus on the potential human cost involved in these tragic circumstances

Tim Hedgley, National Fertility Association

News of the mix-up was leaked to The Sun on Friday after a journalist was contacted by an expectant mother who was involved in the embryo blunder.

Both hospitals have now set up special teams to answer queries about the mix-up, although the Hampshire Clinic was said to have employed security guards to keep visitors away.

In a short statement, a spokesman the North Hampshire Hospital said: "An issue related to the storage of frozen embryos has been highlighted by the Assisted Conception Unit at the Hampshire Clinic.

"The audit revealed a number of inconsistencies between the recording and the storage of frozen embryos at both hospitals, who are making every effort to contact patients directly affected.

"The total number of patients affected at the North Hampshire Hospital is 10."

Distressed couples

Both the hospital and the clinic are accredited and licensed units which were last inspected by the HFEA in May 2000.

Tim Hedgley, of Issue, the National Fertility Association, said the charity wanted to offer support and counselling to both the couples and the hospital staff involved.

He told BBC News 24: "We are very distressed that this has happened.

"We have to focus on the potential human cost involved in these tragic circumstances. There will be couples suffering and wondering whether they have got the correct children.

"As a national infertility organisation our primary focus is to support these couples."