Review of Pilot Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening Programme

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Health (a) what have been the results of the review of the pilot Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening programme; and (b) whether the programme can be made a routine clinical service.

MOH started a three-year pilot on Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) in 2017, to test for chromosomal abnormalities in pre-implanted embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The pilot study compares the embryo implantation success rates, pregnancy rates and live birth rates between women who had received PGS, with those who had not received PGS. Thus far, over 350 patients have been enrolled under the study, but only 104 have been tested for PGS, as some of the patients changed their minds after enrolment and proceeded with embryo transfer directly without performing PGS, or decided to freeze their embryos instead. There has also been delayed recruitment due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

Of the 104 patients who underwent PGS so far, 60 completed their embryo transfers. This has led to 31 pregnancies with 15 live births, and 8 pregnancies is still ongoing. There is a need to recruit further number of patients into the PGS pilot programme to enable a robust evaluation of the clinical efficacy of PGS.

The review will also take into consideration available international evidence concerning PGS testing, the ethical issues associated with PGS and the regulatory framework that needs to be established for governing PGS, before it can be made a routine clinical service. PGS will remain accessible to eligible patients until the full evaluation is complete.