The Progress Educational Trust podcast

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses lessons for the fertility sector from the UK's infected blood scandal , and from the subsequent Infected Blood Inquiry . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Abha Maheshwari (Lead Clinician at Fertility Scotland) ⚫ Professor Marc Turner (Director of the Scottis...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses how to improve access to – and quality of – fertility treatment for LGBTQ+ people, families and communities. The discussion is chaired by  Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Dr Carole Gilling-Smith (founder, Medical Director and Chief Executive of the Agora Clinic) ⚫ Professor Nick Macklon (Medica...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast  discusses access to and funding for preimplantation genetic testing ( PGT ), specifically in relation to monogenic conditions ( PGT-M ) and chromosomal structural rearrangements ( PGT-SR ). The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Charlotte Tomlinson (Clinical Genetics PGT Lead at Guy...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast features the medical pioneers responsible for the world's first live birth following a uterus transplant (in 2014), and for the UK's first live birth following a uterus transplant (in 2025). The discussion is chaired by  Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Mats Brännström (pioneer of uterus transpla...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses the Generation Study – an NHS-embedded research study which is sequencing the whole genomes of 100,000 newborn babies , in order to understand whether we can improve our ability to diagnose and treat genetic conditions . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Amanda Pichini...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses the use of artworks to improve understanding and advance knowledge of the causes of infertility, and of future prospects for IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies ( ART ). The discussion is chaired by  Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Adèle Marston (Director of the Wellcome C...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses how to address challenges raised by 'add-ons' to IVF treatment, while taking account of the perspectives of clinics, regulators and – most crucially of all – patients. The discussion is chaired by  Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Manuela Perrotta (Professor of Sociology of Technology a...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses whether there should be limits on the number of people – worldwide – who can be created from the sperm or eggs of the same donor. The discussion is chaired by  Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Jackson Kirkman-Brown (Chair of the Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists) ⚫ Ch...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast marks 40 years since the announcement – in Australia – that a child had been born following egg donation for the first time. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Alan Trounson (IVF pioneer responsible for the first successful egg donation) ⚫ Professor Catherine Mills (He...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast marks the 100th birthday of the late Baroness Mary Warnock . The discussion is chaired by  Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Felix Warnock (son of the late Baroness Mary Warnock) ⚫ Dr Duncan Wilson (Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester) ⚫ Professor Anna Mastroianni (Professor of Bioethics and L...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses how best to understand and address welfare issues in the context of fertility treatment. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Abha Maheshwari (Lead Clinician at Fertility Scotland) ⚫ Ruth Phillips (Fertility Counsellor at the Edinburgh Fertility Centre) ⚫ Dr S...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses recent changes to the way the UK's fertility regulator – the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority ( HFEA ) – assesses and explains ' add-ons ' to IVF treatment . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Dr Tim Child (Chair of the HFEA's Scientific and Clinical Advance...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses whether – and in what circumstances – single people should be able to access publicly funded fertility treatment . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Dr Sarah Martins da Silva (Clinical Lead for Fertility Services at NHS Tayside) ⚫ Dr Alan Brown (Senior Lecturer in Pri...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses technologies and approaches that helped fertility patients and practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic , and that are still proving useful now. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Dr Ashleigh Holt-Kentwell (Clinical Research Fellow at Aberdeen Fertility Centre) ⚫ Cia...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses an imminent change that will have consequences for people involved in – and affected by – donor conception . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Rachel Cutting (Director of Compliance and Information at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) ⚫ Laura Bridgens...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses levels of compensation for donors of sperm or eggs . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Nayla Tohme (Patient Engagement Officer at the London Egg Bank) ⚫ Hayley King (donor-conceived person, also herself a mother of twins conceived with donor sperm) ⚫ Saghar Kasiri (D...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses the progress that the UK Government has made to date with its Women's Health Strategy for England . The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Geeta Nargund (Co-Founder and Medical Adviser at Ginsburg Women's Health Board) ⚫ Nickie Aiken (Member of Parliament for the...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses different types of counselling that are sought, offered, recommended or required in relation to fertility treatment, gamete donation, and assisted conception more broadly. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Alison McTavish (Member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryolo...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses proposed changes to the law governing fertility treatment and embryo research. The discussion is chaired by Dr Helen O'Neill , with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Dame Clare Gerada (President of the Royal College of General Practitioners) ⚫ Steve McCabe MP (Member of Parliament for Birmingham Selly Oak) ⚫ Penny Mitchell (...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses proposed changes to the law governing fertility treatment and embryo research. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Professor Gillian Black (Law Commissioner responsible for Surrogacy at the Scottish Law Commission) ⚫ Beverley Addison (Senior Solicitor at BTO Family Law)...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses proposed changes to the law governing fertility treatment and embryo research. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Peter Thompson (Chief Executive of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) ⚫ Venessa Smith (Quality Manager for the Assisted Conception Unit at G...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses what employees and employers can – and should – expect from one another, if an employee has fertility problems or needs assisted conception. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Nickie Aiken MP (Member of Parliament for the Cities of London and Westminster) ⚫ Dr Zeynep G...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses what happens to unused IVF embryos after fertility treatment is completed. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Joanne Leitch (Lead Clinician at Fertility Scotland) ⚫ Anne Chien (Counsellor at Ninewells Hospital's Assisted Conception Unit) ⚫ Sharon Martin (Business Deve...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast discusses pregnancy loss in the context of fertility treatment. Issues explored include patients experiencing pregnancy loss after fertility treatment, patients seeking fertility treatment after pregnancy loss, options available to such patients, and how best to offer support. The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PE...

This episode of the Progress Educational Trust ( PET ) podcast marks the centenary of JBS Haldane 's Daedalus , a lecture – subsequently a book – that pioneered the idea of in vitro fertilisation ( IVF ). The discussion is chaired by Sarah Norcross (Director of PET ), with contributions from: ⚫ Sandy Starr (Deputy Director of PET) ⚫ Samanth Subramanian (author of the book A Dominant Character: T...