The Progress Educational Trust podcast

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Oct 2026

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PET (the Progress Educational Trust) is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions. On this podcast, you can hear the latest PET discussions of scientific, ethical, legal and policy issues in fertility, genetics, genomics and embryo/stem cell research. These discussions feature experts and advocates from around the world, as well as contributions from patients and the broader public.

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October 29, 2026Episode 541 hr 34 min

The Genetics of Infertility: Causes, Choices and Treatments

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses the genetics and genomics of infertility , including arguments for – and against – genetic diagnosis of infertility becoming a standard part of care at fertility clinics. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Willem Verpoest (Professor of Reproductive Medicine at Utrecht University Medical Centre) ⚫ Professor Stéphane Viville (Founder of the Genetics of Infertility Unit at the University Hospitals of Strasbourg) ⚫ Professor Joris Veltman (Director of the Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh) ⚫ Professor Micheline Misrahi (Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Paris-Saclay University) The World Health Organisation estimates that one in six people worldwide have experienced infertility, while some researchers estimate that half of all cases of infertility may have a genetic component. In this podcast, an international panel of experts in the genetics and genomics of (in)fertility explore questions including: ⚫ What reproductive options are available to people whose infertility has a genetic cause? How might these options be improved in future? ⚫ What is the risk of transmitting a genetic form of infertility to one's (biological) child? Can this risk be reduced? ⚫ Should genetic diagnosis of infertility become a standard part of care at fertility clinics? What would this entail? PET is grateful to the Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists , the British Fertility Society , Esco Medical , Allwin Medical Devices and Gedeon Richter for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

August 12, 2026Episode 531 hr 38 min

Donor Conception and Genetic Disease: Lessons to Be Learned from Donor 7069

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast examines the case of a donor whose sperm was used to conceive at least 197 children in at least 14 countries , when he (unknowingly) carried a genetic mutation that causes cancer . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Allan Pacey (Professor of Andrology at the University of Manchester) ⚫ Dr Edwige Kasper (Cancer Geneticist at Rouen University Hospital, first brought the case of donor 7069 to professional and public attention) ⚫ Allan Toft Jacobsen (Chief Operating Officer at the European Sperm Bank) ⚫ Nanna Humle (Head of Quality at Born Donor Bank) ⚫ Rachel Cutting (Director of Compliance and Information at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) ⚫ Professor Lucy Frith (Professor of Bioethics and Health Research at the University of Manchester, and Principal Investigator at the ConnecteDNA project) ⚫ Nina Barnsley (Director of the Donor Conception Network, and contributor to information leaflets produced as part of the ConnecteDNA project) The case of Donor 7069 involves a cancer-causing mutation that is present in some, but not all, of the cells of the donor's body. When this happens, it means that a mutation may not be detectable via standard tests , of the sort that are usually used to check people's suitability to be donors of sperm or eggs. Some of the children who were conceived from this donor's sperm are already known to have developed cancer. Some of these children have died. The case raises many issues, including: ⚫ How donors of sperm and eggs are (and should be) tested . ⚫ What steps should be taken, if an incident such as this is discovered, and who should be held responsible for taking these steps. ⚫ What limits are (and should be) placed, nationally and internationally, on the number of children that can be conceived from the sperm of a single donor. In this podcast, experts and practitioners – including the cancer geneticist who first brought the case of donor 7069 to professional and public attention – explore the questions above, discussing how such cases should be dealt with once they come to light and how to reduce the risk of them occurring in the first place. PET is grateful to the Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists , the British Fertility Society , CooperSurgical and Theramex for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

July 20, 2026Episode 521 hr 37 min

Accessing Fertility Treatment: Challenges and Solutions for LGBTQ+ Communities

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast explores legal, practical and other challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people seeking fertility treatment and how these might be overcome. Is the evidence reassuring? Or are there reasons to be concerned? The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Kate Osborne MP (Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fertility) ⚫ Dr Carolyn Wilson-Nash (Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Retail at the University of Stirling) ⚫ Dr Jennifer Takhar (Associate Professor of Consumer Culture at Côte d'Azur University) ⚫ Michael Johnson-Ellis (Cofounder of My Surrogacy Journey and of Ethica Fertility) ⚫ Dr Susie Bower-Brown (Principal Investigator at the 'Family Beyond the Binary' research project) ⚫ Dr Chloe He (Honorary Senior Research Fellow at University College London) ⚫ Natalie Gamble (Director of NGA Law and Founder of Brilliant Beginnings) PET is grateful to Born Donor Bank , Care Fertility , CooperSurgical , IBSA and the Senior Infertility Nurse Group for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

July 10, 2026Episode 511 hr 20 min

What Is the Impact of Fertility Treatment on the Health of Resulting Children?

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses what is known about the short-term and long-term health – both physical and psychological – of people who were conceived via IVF and related reproductive technologies. Is the evidence reassuring? Or are there reasons to be concerned? The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Barbara Luke (Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Michigan State University) ⚫ Professor Alastair Sutcliffe (Professor of General Paediatrics at University College London) ⚫ Dr Faiza Afzal (Senior Research Fellow at University College London) ⚫ Professor Vasanti Jadva (Leader of the Reproduction and the Family Research Group at City St George's, University of London) PET is grateful to the Scottish Government for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

June 26, 2026Episode 501 hr 35 min

What Is the Impact of Fertility Treatment on Patient Health?

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses what is known about the impact of IVF – and assisted conception more broadly – on the physical and psychological health of patients . Is the evidence reassuring? Or are there reasons to be concerned? The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Dr Alina Pelikh (Senior Research Fellow in Demography at University College London) ⚫ Dr Jen Barcroft (Clinical Fellow in Reproductive Medicine at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust) ⚫ Dr Alice Domar (Chief Compassion Officer at Inception Fertility) PET is grateful to the Scottish Government for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

June 9, 2026Episode 491 hr 33 min

What Does the NICE Fertility Guideline Update Mean for You?

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses the newly updated Fertility Guideline published by the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ( NICE ). The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Dr Raj Mathur (Member of the Guideline Committee that developed the newly updated NICE Fertility Guideline ) ⚫ Professor Richard Anderson (Trustee at PET, and Professor of Clinical Reproductive Science at the University of Edinburgh) ⚫ Sarah Norcross (Director of PET), speaking on behalf of Sharon Martin (Interim Chief Executive of the charity Fertility Network UK) ⚫ Anya Sizer (Trustee at the charity Fertility Alliance) ⚫ Katie Rollings (Founder and Chief Executive of the charity Fertility Action) Like every version of the Fertility Guideline published by NICE since 2004, the newly updated Guideline recommends that the NHS should 'offer an initial three full cycles of IVF treatment' to any woman – under 40 years of age – who needs them. The updated Guideline also retains a robust definition of what constitutes a 'full' cycle of IVF. In addition to this, the updated Guideline adds a new recommendation that if a woman 'is under 40 years and has not conceived after three full cycles of IVF treatment' , then commissioners and providers should 'consider up to three further full cycles of IVF treatment' . NICE's recommendation of three full NHS-funded cycles of IVF has been in place for more than 20 years, and yet has never been implemented across England. In fact, the latest data from the PET NHS Fertility Funding Tracker shows that the situation has been worsening. ⚫ 40 out of 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) in England currently fail to comply with the Guideline . ⚫ Of these 40 non-compliant ICBs, the majority – 29 – offer only one NHS-funded cycle of IVF , rather than the recommended three. ⚫ The situation is made even worse by inconsistencies in the eligibility criteria that various ICBs impose upon prospective fertility patients. In its Renewed Women's Health Strategy for England , the UK Government says that within the next two years, it will 'assess current provision of NHS-commissioned fertility services as a baseline to inform supporting material for every ICB to implement the new NICE guidelines in full' . Meanwhile, a commitment made by the preceding Government in its original Women's Health Strategy for England – to ensure that 'Female same-sex couples are able to access NHS-funded fertility services in a more equitable way' – has been quietly dropped from the Renewed Strategy. In light of all this, will the new update to the Guideline make a difference? In this podcast, leading patient advocates and fertility professionals – including a member of the Committee that developed the updated Guideline – discuss what the update means for them, and for you. PET is grateful to Merck for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

May 18, 2026Episode 481 hr 1 min

Male Infertility: Today's Insights, Tomorrow's Treatments

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast features researchers and practitioners at the forefront of tackling male infertility . Aspects discussed include current best practice , the latest insights , and pioneering research that could transform treatment of male infertility in future. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Kevin McEleny (Chair of the British Fertility Society) ⚫ Professor Joris Veltman (Director of the Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh) ⚫ Professor Rod Mitchell (Principal Investigator of a pioneering fertility restoration project funded by the charity Children with Cancer UK) ⚫ Professor Sarah Martins da Silva (Professor of Reproduction and Fertility Medicine at the University of Dundee) Topics discussed in this podcast include: ⚫ Stress experienced by current and prospective fertility patients. ⚫ Stress experienced by practitioners/professionals in the fertility sector. ⚫ What can and should be done to address, or to avoid, stress-related problems. PET is grateful to the Scottish Government and the Society for Reproduction and Fertility for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

April 29, 2026Episode 471 hr 21 min

Fertility Treatment and Stress: Patients, Practitioners and Outcomes

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses causes and consequences of stress , in the context of (in)fertility and assisted conception . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Dr Sinéad Currie (Lead at the Scottish Preconception Health Research Network) ⚫ Angela Pericleous-Smith (Chair of the British Infertility Counselling Association) ⚫ Dr Angela Lawson (Clinical and Forensic Psychologist) ⚫ Emma Haslett (Co-Host of the infertility/IVF podcast Big Fat Negative ) Topics discussed in this podcast include: ⚫ Stress experienced by current and prospective fertility patients. ⚫ Stress experienced by practitioners/professionals in the fertility sector. ⚫ What can and should be done to address, or to avoid, stress-related problems. PET is grateful to the Scottish Government for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

April 13, 2026Episode 461 hr 30 min

Ancestry, Ethnicity, IVF Outcomes: Why Do Some Patients Fare Better than Others?

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses disparities in IVF outcomes , and experiences of fertility treatment , between people with different ethnic backgrounds . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Baroness Geeta Nargund (Labour Peer in the House of Lords and Member of the HFEA) ⚫ Dr Patricia Hamilton (Lecturer in Sociology at the University of York) ⚫ Professor Asif Muneer (Professor of Urology and Surgical Andrology at University College London) ⚫ Jonathan Luwagga (Ambassador and Peer Advocate at the Fertility Alliance) ⚫ Dr Edmond Edi-Osagie (Medical Director of Aurora Reproductive Healthcare) ⚫ Yvonne Hector-John (activist and author of the book 'Dreaming of a Life Unlived') Topics discussed in this podcast include data on ethnic diversity in fertility treatment published by the UK's fertility regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority ( HFEA ). PET is grateful to IBSA for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.

March 23, 2026Episode 451 hr 27 min

Understanding Egg Donation: The Give and Take

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses the needs and interests of everyone involved in egg donation – including donors , recipients , donor-conceived people , fertility professionals , regulators and policymakers . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Dr Jane Stewart (previously Head of the Newcastle Fertility Centre and Chair of the British Fertility Society) ⚫ Professor Nicky Hudson (Professor of Medical Sociology at Loughborough University) ⚫ Angela Pericleous-Smith (Chair of the British Infertility Counselling Association) ⚫ Sophie Cook (donor-conceived person, conceived with an egg from an anonymous donor) ⚫ Professor Mark Hanson (Emeritus Professor of Human Development and Health at the University of Southampton) Topics discussed in this podcast include a Parliamentary inquiry into egg donation and egg freezing , launched by the Women and Equalities Committee of the UK's House of Commons . PET is grateful to London Egg Bank for supporting this discussion. PET is also grateful to Jon Nicoll, who created the opening and closing music for its podcast. Register at https://www.progress.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/ for upcoming PET events.