Commercial Impacts on Assisted Reproductive Technology: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Healthcare Economics
• Bioethics

Background:

• Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a rapidly expanding global industry, largely operating within private healthcare.
• Concerns exist regarding the potential negative consequences of commercialization on ART services and patient care.
• A comprehensive synthesis and critique of existing arguments on commercial impacts in ART are currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a nuanced understanding of the commercial impacts on ART.
• To explore how commercial forces in ART have been identified, studied, and evaluated.
• To identify suggested strategies for managing commercial impacts in health-related journals.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of health-related journals was conducted.
• Searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Cinahl, and Scopus between January and July 2023.
• 163 articles were included from an initial search of 11,873 articles.

Main Results:

• Commercial impacts on ART were most frequently discussed in relation to "add-on" interventions (25% of articles).
• While many articles were critical of commercialization's effects, some acknowledged potential benefits of private sector involvement in ART.
• Proposed strategies for mitigating adverse commercial effects include enhancing patient information, improving informed consent, and increasing regulatory oversight.

Conclusions:

• The review highlights strategies for managing the commercial impacts on assisted reproductive technology.
• Enhanced regulation is proposed, but potential challenges and lack of universal support are noted.
• Findings aim to inform policymakers and service providers in navigating the commercial landscape of ART.