East London fertility clinic has licence suspended after losing embryos

The Homerton Fertility Centre in East London has been instructed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to stop starting new treatments due to discovered errors in their embryo freezing process.

As a result, a small number of embryos were lost or became undetectable. The clinic has apologized to the affected patients and implemented new safeguards, such as dual checks by staff on clinical activities.

Despite the license suspension, the clinic is allowed to complete treatments already underway. The Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the clinic, has launched an investigation, with the HFEA conducting a parallel review.

Separately, a faulty freezing solution issue affected patients at fertility clinics in London and Sheffield last month. Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Jessop Fertility identified several patients whose eggs and embryos were likely compromised by a substandard product from CooperSurgical. Affected individuals have been contacted, and investigations are ongoing.