Contributed by Wendey Munro, Marketing Director

What difference can an IVF pharmacy make?

Fertility clinics around the world are now opening their doors with much higher levels of bio security in place, beginning to treat patients again after many months of inactivity due to the pandemic. This lockdown of services and travel has had an impact on a patient group already in decision turmoil. Travel or not? Where to? Which country meets my needs? What happens when I get home?

As the world tries to access ‘normal’ it will likely create a surge of patients revisiting their IVF choices and looking for safe, good value treatments from around the world. In some ways, the pandemic has made us realise that we are a global village – opening the thought processes of where in the world offers the best treatments.

How would fertility travel actually work? What level of service could be possible? And who can provide the home services needed?

Over recent weeks we have experienced an increase in UK patients contacting us after having travelled outside of the EU for their treatments. This creates one major puzzle for the patient to solve with regard to getting hold of their medications.

It is apparent that patients are unaware of the rules and regulations laid down by the Department of Health and Social Care, to which UK pharmacists must adhere.

So, currently only EEA prescriptions are legally dispensable in the UK, prescriptions generated outside of the EEA are not legal in the UK. Is this a Big Problem?

Wait though, if you are being treated by a clinic outside of the region, we have a solution!

So instead of you being reluctant to choose a clinic in say, Russia, this is not an issue because we have an In House Prescription Conversion facility, which means, in simple terms that we can review the prescription, liaise with the clinic for you and convert into a legal prescription for you here in the UK.

This knowledge should open up your choices somewhat – simple solution – ask us!