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UK regulator proposes to modernise 33-year-old fertility law

The new reforms aim to give the HFEA a range of regulatory tools to protect patients

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The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has set out recommendations to modernise the UK’s 33-year-old fertility law.

The proposals made by the UK-wide regulator of fertility treatment and embryo research aim to “future-proof” the law, so it better reflects the significant changes in the size and structure of the fertility sector, in attitudes to fertility treatment and in medical and scientific developments.

The 15 proposals cover four areas where the law should be modernised in the interests of patients, professionals and researchers: patient safety and promoting good practice, access to donor information, consent and scientific developments.

The reforms aim to give the HFEA a range of regulatory tools to protect patients, helping the regulator decrease unnecessary regulatory burden and providing a greater focus on serious non-compliances.

With new technologies in the fertility space bringing potential new ethical issues, the proposals also aim to simplify consent for patients and modernise access to donor information.

“The current law does not reflect the range and type of fertility treatment on offer today, nor modern regulatory standards. We think there should be changes that will ensure the law can continue to effectively protect patients, as well as support the scientific advances that can help them have a much-wanted child,” said Julia Chain, chair of the HFEA.

“The number of patients having fertility treatment has increased from just over 6000 in 1991 to nearly 52,000 in 2021. The fertility sector has also changed, leaving our current regulatory powers out of step with patient expectations and regulatory standards.

“Today, most patients fund their treatment themselves, which has changed their view of this area of healthcare to being consumers with active choices to be made. Many UK regulators have a wider and more effective range of powers to improve compliance and protect patients and consumers than those available to the HFEA.”

She added: “Our proposals would improve patient safety and protection and maintain the UK’s position as a country where scientific and clinical innovation can flourish.

“In all our work, the special status of the human embryo will remain a guiding principle as its potential makes it different from all other human tissue.”

The recommendations were developed by the HFEA after seeking the views of fertility patients, clinic staff and others interested in the area via a public consultation.

Chain said: “The full consultation report, which shows the range of views we received, was extremely helpful in developing the recommendations.

“Nowhere in this field has the pace of social and technological change been more rapid than in the growing popularity of direct-to-consumer DNA testing and social media, with a lasting impact on donor anonymity. We need to balance the law with what is taking place in reality.

“We recommend the law is changed so that parents can find out who a donor is from the birth of a child. Our proposal reflects the fact that the current system, where identifiable information about a donor is disclosed to the donor-conceived person at 18 and only upon request, can no longer effectively keep up.

“We know this a significant departure, and so a gradual approach to reach this position may be best, but it should be the aim to future proof the law,” she added.

Menopause

Medichecks acquires My Menopause Centre to expand specialist hormone health services

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Digital diagnostics company Medichecks has acquired specialist menopause health platform and clinic My Menopause Centre.

The deal is part of Medichecks’ move into clinical services and follows its earlier purchase of Leger Clinic, creating what the company describes as a hormone health offering for women and men across the UK.

Medichecks and My Menopause Centre will combine digital services with clinical governance. The acquisition aims to enhance Medichecks’ ability to deliver integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support.

The combined group plans to grow its specialist hormone health services, supporting patients across the UK with clinical care throughout different stages of their hormone health journey.

Helen Marsden, co-founder of Medichecks, said: “At Medichecks, our mission is to make healthcare more accessible, evidence-based and patient-centred.

“Helen and Clare have built an outstanding, clinically credible platform that is transforming menopause care for women across the UK.

“Medichecks now owns two CQC Outstanding-rated clinics, the only clinics in their respective sectors to achieve this rating, and we are deeply committed to delivering safe, compassionate and patient-centric care.

“We’re proud to continue the founders’ legacy while supporting the next stage of growth, ensuring more women can access high-quality menopause care when they need it most.”

The CQC, or Care Quality Commission, is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

The acquisition supports Medichecks’ plans to make hormone healthcare more accessible by delivering integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support for patients across the UK.

Helen Normoyle, co-founder and chief executive of My Menopause Centre, said: “We set out to build something resilient, clinically credible and scalable, not just fast.

“Our mission has always been to make menopause care compassionate, accessible and grounded in evidence. Medichecks shares that vision.

“Their digital platform, commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centred care make them the ideal partner to take My Menopause Centre into its next chapter.

“This milestone reflects not only a strong product, but a remarkable team and community.

“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built and excited to see My Menopause Centre grow further under Medichecks’ leadership.”

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Menopause

Menopause specialist Haver joins Midi Health

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Menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver has been appointed as the first chief agewell officer at virtual care clinic Midi Health.

In the role, Dr Haver will work with Midi’s clinical team to develop the AgeWell platform, described as a proactive health model that integrates perimenopause and menopausal care with metabolic health, bone density, brain health and cardiovascular risk assessment.

The platform aims to provide preventative care targeting what the company describes as the primary drivers of female mortality and disability: heart disease, bone loss and cognitive decline.

Joanna Strober, chief executive and co-founder of Midi Health, said: “Longevity care has historically ignored women’s biology, especially during the critical windows of midlife and menopause.

“At Midi Health, we are committed to extending healthspan, not just lifespan, and making that care accessible to millions of women as a core pillar of their health.

“By collaborating with Dr Haver, we are ensuring women continue to have access to care designed for their bodies, their hormones, and their real lives.”

Dr Haver is board-certified in obstetrics and gynaecology, a Menopause Society certified practitioner, a certified culinary medicine specialist and an adjunct associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at The University of Texas Medical Branch.

After a career in academic medicine, Dr Haver founded The Pause Life, described as a science and education-based resource for women navigating perimenopause and the menopause transition.

Through her books, unPaused podcast and digital platform, she has provided education on midlife health.

Dr Mary Claire Haver said: “I have spent my career advocating for women to receive the science-backed, no-nonsense guidance they deserve.

“I chose to partner with Midi Health because they are the only platform with the scale and medical rigour to deliver the kind of care women deserve, regardless of their zip codes.

“Together, we are setting a new standard for proactive, preventative care that meaningfully extends both lifespan and healthspan for women.”

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Events

Kate Ryder headlines Women’s Health Week USA 2026 as full agenda goes live

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Women’s Health Week USA 2026 has unveiled its first populated agenda, anchored by an opening keynote from Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven Clinic, and featuring a cross-sector lineup shaping the next phase of scale in women’s health.

You can view the full agenda here.

Taking place May 13–14, 2026, at the New York Academy of Medicine, Women’s Health Week USA brings together the full women’s health ecosystem to focus on one central question: what does it take to move women’s health from innovation to institutional scale?

Kate Ryder will open Day 1 with a keynote drawing on her experience building Maven Clinic into the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health.

Under her leadership, Maven has partnered with employers and health plans to deliver care across fertility, maternity, postpartum, paediatrics, and menopause at scale.

Her perspective sets the tone for a program centered on commercialisation, partnership, and sustainable growth.

Beyond the opening keynote, the newly released agenda reflects the sector’s growing maturity.

Across two days, the program features 70+ speakers, with representation from leading organizations including the FDA, Planned Parenthood, CVS Health Ventures, Samsung Next, NIH, WHO, and Maven Clinic.

Sessions span investment and deal flow, clinical innovation, regulation, data and technology, and market expansion, alongside dedicated pitch sessions and curated 1:1 matchmaking designed to turn insight into action.

The agenda has been built to facilitate meaningful connections across the ecosystem, with partnerships positioned as the primary driver of scale.

As women’s health continues to attract institutional capital and global attention, Women’s Health Week USA 2026 offers a clear snapshot of where the market is heading, and who is shaping it.

The full agenda is now live, with additional speakers and partners to be announced in the coming months.

View the full programme here.

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