Fertility patients in UK targeted by ‘concerning’ IVF adverts on social media
Vulnerable fertility patients are being targeted by social media ads with experts warning they could be breaking the rules by guaranteeing couples a baby or making other misleading claims.
The Guardian discovered a number of advertisements for IVF clinics on Instagram that the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) described as concerning and is now reviewing. These advertisements are targeted at users who show an interest in IVF through their online searches.
The ASA, the advertising industry watchdog, recently wrote to British clinics warning them to be transparent about success rates. Official figures show average IVF birth rates the use of fresh embryo transfers for patients aged 18-34 was 33% per embryo transferred, compared to 4% for patients aged 43-50 using their own eggs in 2021.
One ad from the Unica Clinic, a health service based in Prague and Brno, in the Czech Republic, appeared on Instagram stories and read: “We guarantee your IVF success.” Unica Kliniek has not commented.
The ASA said it regulates foreign advertisers who target British consumers directly.
There is also concern about companies offering other services to people trying to get pregnant. An American company that runs an app that helps with nutrition for fertility, called Gyna, also advertises on Instagram stories. Clicking to learn more will take you to another page where users are asked questions before predicting when they will give birth when they log into the app. When the Guardian completed the questionnaire, a screen appeared entitled 'Fertility Estimate': 'You will be pregnant in March.'
Gyna said it “did not provide medical services.” It added: “In addition, we do not use it (pregnancy predictions) in marketing, but we offer a full refund for customers who use our course and are not satisfied.”
Sensor Tower, a marketing intelligence company, said Gyna had a 150% year-on-year increase in UK ad spend on Instagram as of the third quarter of this year, and that page impressions – the number of times their content was viewed – has increased year on year increased by 300%.
Dr. Catherine Hill, head of policy and public affairs at Fertility Network UK, which provides information and support to people trying to conceive, said it was “deeply concerned” about the “impact (of the clinic advertisements) on vulnerable fertility patients. ”
She said: “Unfortunately it is not possible to guarantee that fertility treatment will result in a healthy baby, and clinics or other organizations should not suggest guaranteed IVF success. This shows a remarkable lack of understanding, as it gives false hope to patients who are already in need. Providing these types of guarantees may also violate advertising standards.”
Kayleigh Hartigan, the founder of Fertility Mapper, which compiles reviews of clinics, said: “Although clinics have been known to stretch in the UK about what is appropriate to say in their advertising, they are heavily regulated. Clinics abroad are not regulated in the same way and this can lead to quite significant problems if they advertise across geographical boundaries on social media.”
In 2021, the ASA sent an 'enforcement notice' to all UK fertility clinics detailing how they should promote their services and ensure compliance with advertising and competition codes.
It said: “Clinicians should be careful not to misrepresent the benefits of a reimbursement package. Absolute claims such as '100% refund' should be avoided when the reality is that patients are entitled to 'up to 100% of costs'.”
Often such offers are subject to a medical check to see if a patient is eligible and there are age restrictions. Only a small number of people are eligible for a full refund.
The Guardian discovered that one fertility clinic, Ovom Care, advertises “No baby, no cost”, adding: “Don't pay for the core treatment if you don't achieve your goal of pregnancy”. However, this offer is not open to all customers, but only to a select number of customers who meet their criteria.
Felicia von Reden, Ovom's CEO, said she will “check” and “refine” the wording to ensure full transparency with patients if necessary. She said: “For us, the most important thing is the philosophy behind the approach: to reduce the financial risks associated with IVF for as many patients as possible.”
The London Women's Clinic advertised “unlimited IVF for children under 38” and “100% of your money back if you don't have a baby.” A spokesperson said: “The treatment offered is always under medical supervision” and “follows a number of rules”. They acknowledged that their current “ad could be misinterpreted” and that is why they “discontinued it.”
Instagram said it was investigating the ads. It bans ads that contain false information, mislead people about the services a company provides, or repeatedly use disturbing images to make a point.