Boston IVF Receives $1 Million From U.S. Health and Human Services To Develop National Protocol To Promote The Use Of Embryo Donation As A Family Building Option

BOSTON, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston IVF, a leading medical practice providing specialized infertility treatment since 1986, has received a two-year federal grant, totaling $1 million, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve patient understanding of and interest in donating frozen embryos resulting from in vitro fertilization (IVF) to others undergoing infertility treatment. Boston IVF recently received the second half of the grant funding, to develop the Frozen Embryo Donation Service, including training protocols for infertility clinics aimed at enhancing clinician and patient awareness and interest in embryo donation. Boston IVF will also develop educational services for patients with embryos in storage, as well as potential recipients, to increase the number of patients willing to consider donation. New procedures, including appropriate patient consent forms, laboratory protocols and legal and financial materials will also be created as part of this initiative. Brandeis University is collaborating with Boston IVF on the evaluation, including patient surveys, as part of this campaign.

"A major goal of the Frozen Embryo Donation Service is to develop training programs for infertility...