Rogers: Lack of Oversight Puts Reputation of IVF Centres at Risk

Rogers said in a social media post that the current oversight and monitoring mechanisms at IVF centres operating in the country were insufficient. She stressed the need to establish a centralised digital tracking system and ensure that the centres are regularly inspected by independent auditors.

“OVERSIGHT AND MONITORING MECHANISMS ARE INADEQUATE”

Rogers noted that there were 20 active IVF centres in the country, but said the mechanisms in place to oversee and monitor their activities remained inadequate. She added that she had raised the issue on numerous occasions in the past.

Under the law, a woman may donate eggs no more than three times a year, Rogers recalled, pointing out that the absence of a shared digital database between the Ministry of Health and IVF centres created a significant regulatory gap.

She warned that the existing system could not prevent the same person from exceeding the legal limit by donating eggs at different centres, creating serious legal and ethical risks.

“CENTRES WILL BE INSPECTED REGULARLY”

Rogers said that, if they took office, they would introduce a centralised digital system to monitor donations and other procedures, ensure effective enforcement of legal limits and establish regular inspections of IVF centres by independent auditors.

She added that regulatory gaps would be addressed and the relevant legislation updated in line with scientific developments, ethical principles, international quality standards and patients’ rights.

“STRENGTHENING OUR COUNTRY’S INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION IS ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES”

Emphasising the importance of protecting the trust of families who come to the TRNC in the hope of having children, Rogers said it was essential to recognise and safeguard the efforts and achievements of IVF centres that provide services to high quality standards.

She stressed that strengthening the country’s international standing in this field was one of its key responsibilities.

The full text of Rogers’ statement is as follows:

“LACK OF OVERSIGHT IS PUTTING AT RISK AREAS WE MUST PROTECT AS THE APPLE OF OUR EYE!

The mention of our country in an Istanbul-based illegal tissue trafficking investigation risks damaging the reputation of our internationally sought-after IVF centres and our country.

As I have repeatedly pointed out in the past, although there are 20 active IVF centres in our country, oversight and monitoring mechanisms remain inadequate.

Under the law, a woman may donate eggs no more than three times a year. However, because there is no shared digital database between the Ministry of Health and the centres, the same person cannot be prevented from exceeding this limit by donating eggs at different centres. This creates serious legal and ethical risks.

When we take office, we will ensure that donations and other procedures are monitored through a centralised digital system, that legal limits are effectively enforced and that centres are regularly inspected by independent auditors. We will address gaps in the legislation and update regulations in line with scientific developments, ethical principles, international quality standards and patients’ rights.

Protecting the trust of families who come to our country in the hope of having children, safeguarding the efforts and achievements of our IVF centres that provide services to high quality standards, and strengthening our country’s international reputation in this field are among our key responsibilities.”