The fertility regulator appeared to have an ‘ill considered vendetta’ against one of Britain’s most successful and richest doctors, Evan Harris MP has warned. “Dr Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat spokesman on science, accused the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority of being blinded to its true responsibilities while pursuing Mohamed Taranissi.” To read more click here
The BBC has been ordered by the High Court to pay an estimated £500,000 in costs to IVF specialist Mohamed Taranissi in an ongoing libel action. To read more click here
The General Medical Council have decided that there is insufficient evidence to continue. Mr Taranissi was accused of failing to keep medical records, carrying out inappropriate test and acting in an insensitive manner. Mr Taranissi vehemently denied these charges.
Source:Case against IVF Doctor Collapses (BBC)
The HFEA have announced that Mr Taranissi was the most successful fertility doctor in year 2006. His live birth rate was 61% for under 35s. Source: Controversial Fertility Doctor Mr Mohammed Taranissi Tops Fertility League ( Times ) Further: ARGC 2006 Success Rates on HFEA Website
The HFEA have annuled their July 2008 decision that Mr Taranissi was not fit to run his own clinic (be the “person responsible” ).
Mr Taranissi was allowed to challenge the July decision in the High Court, on the ground that the HFEA could have appeared to be biased against him.
The HFEA have decided to set aside their decision and pay his legal costs.
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article4834332.ece
The HFEA released the 2007 clinical pregnancy rates this week. ARGCs clinical pregnancy rates for this period are:
Below 35 - 64.6%
35-37 - 53.1%
38-39 - 41%
40-42 - 26.7%
A clinical pregnancy is defined as a pregnancy where an ultrasound scan has shown at least one fetal heartbeat.
Source:ARGC 2007 Pregnancy Rates on HFEA Website
The HFEA Licence Committee have extended Mr Taranissi’s licence by another 4 months ( until May 2008 ) as it had “not been possible to determine Mr Taranissi’s appeal since the adjournment of the hearing”.
A statement on the HFEA website said :
The Authority has offered a licence to the Assisted Reproduction and Gynaecology Centre, London (ARGC), pending the determination of an appeal by the centre’s Person Responsible against a decision of the Licensing Committee made in July 2007 (see below for details of this decision). If accepted, the licence will be valid until 17 May 2008.
http://www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/HFEA_Appeal_Panel_minutes.pdf
The controversial fertility doctor, Mohamed Taranissi, tops the IVF league table today.
His success rates are higher than any other clinic, with 60 per cent of women patients under 35 giving birth.
However, one in three births after treatment at the Assisted Reproduction and Gynaecology Centre resulted in twins. The average is one in four.
Source: Telegraph
Carter-Ruck acted for Mohamed Taranissi, the well-known consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and IVF specialist, and his clinic the ARGC, in their claim for libel against the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The parties have now agreed terms which included the reading of the Statement in Open Court.Carter-Ruck is also representing Mr Taranissi and the ARGC in defamation proceedings against the BBC following broadcast of their Panorama programme, “IVF Undercover”.