Pioneering genetics work shortlisted for prestigious award

Pioneering work by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) Centre has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.

The Centre’s innovative approach to addressing the main complications of PGD has been shortlisted in the patient safety category of the British Medical Journal Awards 2015, the UK’s premier medical awards programme.

PGD is a specialised treatment for couples who carry an inherited genetic defect that could cause serious health risks for their children, such as cystic fibrosis or sickle cell disease. It is used to screen for specific genetic diseases so that babies can be born free of the condition.

Through designing a novel PGD treatment strategy, the PGD team at Guy’s and St Thomas’ have established how to eliminate the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and multiple pregnancy – the complications responsible for the majority of patient morbidity associated with PGD.

The team is the first in the world to apply their new strategy in PGD to couples undergoing treatment. Their work has proved that it is possible to achieve a high pregnancy rate while also maintaining an excellent safety profile.  

Tarek El-Toukhy, Consultant Gynaecologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’, says: “This is a major breakthrough in the field of PGD treatment that could potentially eliminate the main complications that pose risks to patients.

“It’s very exciting to be shortlisted for the BMJ Awards as we are keen to share our practice and see patients all over the world benefit from this new approach to PGD.”

The PGD Centre in the Assisted Conception Unit at Guy’s and St Thomas’ has a global reputation for excellence and is one of the leading innovators in the field. In July 2014 it received the Clinical Science Award from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

Find out more about Guy’s and St Thomas’ PGD Centre.