Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41629892›Full record

ArticleBMC medical ethics2026

Information and misinformation on assisted human reproduction techniques in Europe: a normative analysis of the information provided on the websites of medically assisted reproduction clinics.

Marta Albert, Rosa Tapia, Juana Farfán, Alfonso Vicente, Sara Muñoz, María Toribio-López, Jose Miguel Carrasco, Anna De Bayas Sanchez, Michaela Fuller, Nathaniel Barrett and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical ethics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Marta AlbertRey Juan Carlos University, Derecho Público II, Madrid, Spain. marta.albert@urjc.es.
Rosa TapiaRey Juan Carlos University, Derecho Público II, Madrid, Spain.
Juana FarfánRey Juan Carlos University, Derecho Público II, Madrid, Spain.
Alfonso VicenteRey Juan Carlos University, Derecho Público II, Madrid, Spain.
Sara MuñozRey Juan Carlos University, Derecho Público II, Madrid, Spain.
María Toribio-LópezAPLICA Investigación y Traslación Soc Coop Mad, Madrid, Spain.
Jose Miguel CarrascoAPLICA Investigación y Traslación Soc Coop Mad, Madrid, Spain.
Anna De Bayas SanchezFirst Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
Michaela FullerMedistella Mediversvm S.R.O., Management, Prague, Czech Republic.
Nathaniel BarrettInstitute for Culture and Society ICS-UNAV, Mind-Brain Group, Pamplona, Spain.
Francisco GüellInstitute for Culture and Society ICS-UNAV, Mind-Brain Group, Pamplona, Spain.

Funding

European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme 872706
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAs part of the European Be better informed about Fertility project (B2-InF), we carried out a normative analysis of the information provided online by assisted reproduction clinics to the European public. This analysis aimed to determine the degree to which this information complies with regulations of medically assisted reproduction (MAR) and commercial information, and the main ethical implications related to the duty of information.

methodsInformation was gathered from the websites of 33 clinics across 8 European countries (Albania, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, Slovenia, Switzerland). Nearly 2000 pages of information were reviewed and checked for compliance with relevant frameworks of national and international law.

resultsThe assessment revealed significant inconsistencies in how clinics present information online, with particular concerns regarding transparency about success rates, associated risks, add-on techniques and the legal and ethical issues that may arise during the use of these techniques.

conclusionsThe results of our analysis indicate an urgent need for enhanced regulatory oversight and standardized information requirements for assisted reproduction clinics across Europe. These findings suggest the necessity for harmonized legal frameworks that mandate comprehensive disclosure standards and establish effective enforcement mechanisms to ensure transparent and accurate information provision to potential patients.

Indexed as

CommunicationDisclosureInformation DisseminationInternetReproductive Techniques, AssistedEuropeFemaleHumansClinicsComplianceConsumersInformationMedically Assisted Reproduction

Identifiers

PMID41629892
PMCPMC12954940

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.