In message <[log in to unmask]> Peter Johnson wrote:
> this is just *so* bigoted and discriminatory.
Hmmm, is it better to be discriminate or indiscriminate in
the discharge of one's bigotry?
A bit of creative snippage going on here I fear. I prescribe
infertility drugs on the NHS to anyone who wants them (on the advice
of a specialist, of course) but my *personal* view is that
infertility treatment should not be available on the NHS.
If prescribe the drugs on demand, what difference does it make
that my *personal* views do no support such actions?
> >Just last week, I wrote a prescription for drugs which totalled
> >more than 1000 pounds in cost. Yikes!
>
> considering most people who have fertility treatment only do so a few times,
> the cost of this pales into insignificance against chronic disease therapy
> like asthma, or long term omeprazole (or even ranitidine) for those people
> who can't be bothered to stop their drinking and smoking. Would you refuse
> people terminations?
What, you mean *if I ruled the world* would I refuse terminations?
The answer is no, because allowing terminations fits in with my
world-view in that there are already too many people on the planet.
> >Anyway, my personal view is that there should be no infertility
> >treatment on the NHS (except simple baseline investigations)
> >and that many 'couples' seeking infertility treatment would
> >be better advised to seek the help of a psychologist.
>
> surely fertility treatment, if successful, being a one off cost, is much
> cheaper than endless visits to psychiatrists, counselling, antidepressants,
> need I go on?
I said *many*, not *all* or *most*. And all this is AFAIK, IMHO,
etc, etc, etc,
> not that I am defending bad fertility clinics.
>
> And I'm biased - we have two lovely children courtesy of IVF. One cost the
> NHS ~300 pounds, the other 367 in drugs. (success first time, both times)
> The rest - obviously many times that amount - we paid ourselves.
I'm not advocating withdrawal of *all* infertility treatment, only
NHS infertility treatment.
Why do I always get sucked in to these no-win arguments?
(In)fertility is an emotive subject.
> What's more
> we don't cost the NHS anything for contraception. I consider that astounding
> value for money in QALYs
> There are still huge differences in the success rates of different units,
> and the criteria they use in selection. Surely rather than refuse all
> fertility assistance on the NHS, it would be better to run some accreditaion
> system?
Only if I'm put in charge of the accreditation department and
can draw a huge salary for doing bugger all.
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