UK Panorama Special Monday 15th at 8.30pm

[CarolynB]

Dear Ladies

Some of you may know this already but I understand that there is a Panorma special on IVF Costs scheduled for Monday at 8.30pm. It is just 30mins.

I understand that it will be very very controversial. I hear also that it may get pulled due to the legal ranglings that are going.

A person who I have spoken to who has seen the programme claims that it started as an investigation into ARGC, Lister, Hammersmith all in London and Care in Nottingham. Discussing how much they mark up the drugs that we are all sold. However, the programme will now just focus on ARGC based on what I have been told. There are claims that the paperwork is lost (potentially for cycles that are not so good), that they will put back 3 embryos for ladies under 40 (which I think is against the law in the UK) and that some of the drugs are not necessary and given to us just to ramp up the costs. This clearly is very scary - but all that said, they get by far the best success rates in the UK so must be doing something right.

I cannot comment as have not been to ARGC. I am a Hammersmith girl right now but have clearly been looking at ARGC as seem to have reasonable embryos but they will not implant for me.

My reason for posting is to just let people know about the programme - not to comment on what I think is true. How knows what the truth is????

There is more background in this artice:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/stor ... 18,00.html

As if this was not stressful enough without added drama...........

Good Luck to you all.
Carolyn x

[shantala]

Hi carolyn

thanks for letting us know. i wasnt aware of the programme.

how u doing??? and did you have a nice break away??

xx

[CarolynB]

Hi Shantala

Thanks for asking. Break was fab and well needed after 2006. Dh and I laughed a lot which was great. Hope that you had a lovely Xmas and that 2007 will be your year. Now back to reality and trying not to think about it all too much. Will cycle again in February-March on a similiar protocol to last time but with a slightly higher dose of stimmies in hope that they will be able to reach both sides rather than just 1 as more follies might make the ovary drop down??? Hoping very much that it will be 3rd time lucky for me & dh.

Can see that finally your Open Evening is just around the corner after a rather long wait. Hope that it goes well and you get all the answers that you need.

Saturdays are just not the same anymore with X Factor! Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Loads of Luck.
Carolyn xxx

[shantala]

Hi carolyn

its great to hear that you had a good break - it sounds like it did you the world of good!! good on you for jumping back on board and the best of luck with it! i'll be keeping an eye on you when your time comes!

yes, thank you, the long awaited open eve is just round the corner. cant wait.

lol, i was only saying today that saturday nights are crap without xfactor now...haha...

take care

xxx

[Welshgirl38]

Ooooo i will deff be watching that, thanks Carolyn for posting this message (will have to tape corrie tho - Tracey's killed Charlie lol)

And Shantala, ur right - Sat nights are crap now without the X-Factor

lol - speaky soon...

Becky Xxxxx

[CarolynB]

Hi Becky

Good to hear from you. Think that we in the UK are all gutted without X Factor. Saturday evenings are just not the same.

However, making doing with Casulty and they just trailed this investigative report for Monday evening again so looks like it will still be shown. Not a Corrie girl myself so will be glued to BBC and hanging on every word especially as I called ARGC on Friday to see if I can go on there waiting list

Thanks for your PM back to me. Will get around to replying - honest! Just busy trying to sort out our loo and bathroom before my parents come to stay in two weeks time. You know how it is!!!!

Take care hun.
Lots of Love
Carolyn xxx

[CarolynB]

Dear All

Just thought that I'd add the link to the BBC web site where there is more detail now about what the programme is all about:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6225951.stm

Carolyn

[lara312]

Carolyn this programe looks rather intresting i will be watching will have to have a nap 1st otherwise i will be watching through my eyelids lol
I agree saturdays is not the same without x factor bring back the x factor we will have to start a petion for it to hurry up back on
love Rachel x x

[gbnut]

Hi everyone

Carolyn glad you had a good holiday.

As some of you know i am a ARGC girl. It is a bit mad there at the moment with all the bad press.

In their defense although we have not seen the programme yet but it is ment to be about contraversal nk stuff. from all the info on other boards it looks like the undercover intervewe is not all shown so you do not get a true picture and therefore protrays that she is railroaded into having more tests and ivig.

When i had my inial interview i was asked a lot about my past and as i had sever endo which is a known fact that it is immune related. there is a lot of info on this, thefefore it was suggested that i had further tests to see if i did. I did not have to have the tests but i choose to have them. When the results came back that i did have probs i hd the ivig but again i was told that i did not have to have it if i did not want to and as i am not a stupid person i did research into it an dmy husband and i decided to go a head with no bad effects. And i did get pregnant but sadly m/c later.

In regards to the mark up on drugs i did not buy all my drugs fro them but bought them from a chemist that was cheaper. they give anyone that asks a private prescription.

The report that has just gone out about them that made them score poorly is mostly paperwork you should read the report.

They did give 3 embryos back to under 40 s 2 were 39 and 1 38 who had repeted BFN. there was a 23 28 and 29 i think and 1 of them was a suragete mother how was over 40. Cant comment on the other 2. I am not saying this is right or wrong just reporting on what the probs were.

Mt T is a very hard working mad who is at the clinic 7 days a week and never had a holiday and is very dedicated to getting us pregnant.

It is such a shame that he is getting all this bad press at the moment.

Susan x

[Bonnycat]

Hello Ladies,

Just to let you know that it is worth visiting the ARGC website first to watch the WHOLE 60 minute interview with DR T before you watch the programme tonight. It will be interesting to see how some of the issues he addresses are handled in the final edit as I have the feeling it will be sensationalised to up the viewing figures.

I am an ARGC girl and have no intention of pulling out of my treatment. He gets the results and let's face it, that's all we're interested in!!

Happy viewing,
Cat

[Macca8]

Well ladies, what did you think of that last night?

I expected a certain amount of sensationalism but that was scary.
It is quite daunting if people are genuinely been offered tests that they don't need. I couldn't believe how much money each one was too.
To say that the bbc reporter had nothing wrong with her but yet she was looking in the face of £10,000 for an IVF cycle she didn't need. That was so wrong.

I'm sure loads of ladies that have had success stories from the ARGC will feel different but maybe they were just the lucky ones that got the babies regardless of the costs. What about all those spending tens of thousands over and over again and getting nowhere but a load of debt.

I was shocked to see my consultant Dr Brian Leberman on the panel but also found comfort that he was sitting on the right side of the fence.

It would be great to hear what all us IVF'ers think?

Love Lisa XXX

[LittleP]

Hi there all

I had my treatment through the ARGC and now have a beautiful 10 month old daughter. She is my whole world and we owe everything to the ARGC and Mr T for his help.

We watched the programme last night and it was a complete farce - I have spoken to the Panorma people today and the HFEA to lodge my complaints.

They sent in 3 people with varying degrees of issues - why then were they surprised that the words IVF and infertility were discussed when they sent these people to infertility clinics? Surely they should be more surprised if they had been shown the door and told to come back when 2 years was up!!!!

Before going to the ARGC, I was with another hospital and I had my first discussions Re: IVF after only 8 months of trying!!!

I had the so called "controversial Killer Cells treatment" and after one attempt we were successful. Prior to this I have had 4 miscarriages!!! The ARGC were totally honest about what the costs of the treatment and never pushed us into taking the Killer Cell line - it was entirely our decision and one we are happy we took - I have no issues with recommending them and reassuring anyone that they are totally professional and NOT money-minded.

Sorry - I had to just vent, that programme has left me very angry and disappointed. How can people judge him when he does so much good?

Anyway - hope you are all well and good luck with everything.

Love

Little P

[cjcraig]

Blimey - they have really gone after him - for what?
1. he has earned a lot of money- not a crime
2. he offers a experimental treatment. Everyone there knows that and is fully informed of everything it entails.
3. The doctors discussed IVF with young women who had only been trying a year or 18 months. they were both told they had a lot more time and then were given all the options. Winston's hand wringing about 'vulnerable women'... Aren't they women who are able to make informed choices and can decide for themselves what they want to do. They'd gone to an IVF clinic for gods sake!
4. Another of his clinic continued operating after license was revoked. It sounded like he was in the middle of treating patients. There was no evidence he was doing anything wrong. Although they kept suggesting he fudged stats there was no proof offered at all.

And now a police raid....I think there is a lot more to this than meets the eye. There are a number of well renowned doctors who have had it in for Taranissi for years. Profesional jealousy gone obsessive...?

I am a doctor and have been under the ARGC- and I would recommend it to others.

[nicolamark]

I didnt see this programme, I decided not too, as i'd heard it could wind me up and especially, as i am due to start my 1st IVF, I thought it best if i didnt see this IVF show, but OMG, sounds like it did wind up some people so glad i didnt see it now!!

ARGC?? whats that??? Is that the clinic??

[nicolamark]

Little P, Have heard back after your letter of complaint???

Ps, Hope little Emilia's doing fine!!!