For any parents wanting a child, fertility treatment will be one of the hardest journeys they can take. They invest a lot of time, energy, money and emotions creating that much-wanted baby. Above all else, they put a lot of trust in a fertility clinic to protect that new life.
As a fertility clinic, you understand the importance of the job at hand. It’s for this reason that you meet the strict regulations imposed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), including traceability, environmental controls and storage procedures. But what happens when you have to relinquish control and put your trust in someone else? This is exactly the scenario when moving a laboratory.
If you’re running an IVF clinic and know you have a move coming up in the future, you might want to read on, because this is one job you can’t leave to the stork!
Why are you moving your IVF laboratory?
There will never be a ‘right time’ for a fertility clinic to relocate, and it’s inevitable that embryos will almost always be in storage.
Yet there are plenty of good reasons for a clinic to relocate. You might have outgrown your current setup with more patients than your facility and storage capacity can support. It could be you’ve the opportunity to move to a new facility with enhanced technology or lab equipment, and a layout that supports your processes. Or perhaps, you’re looking to be closer to partner companies which help your business grow. Whatever the reason, one goal is clear – relocating will provide better outcomes for patients and your team.
But with opportunity comes risk that could damage your company’s reputation and impact hundreds of families. While you can control conditions inside your laboratory, relocating requires you to put precious samples in the hands of others. This is where careful planning and the right removal team are critical.
What makes an IVF lab move so complex?
Relocating any laboratory should be a precision task. It takes a lot of planning, expertise and knowledge from a removal team who implement a watertight project management plan. Get this right and you can be sure of a seamless move from one lab to the new location. But take that process and throw in the complexity of moving embryos, and the complexity shifts up to a whole new level.
To start with, there is the specialised equipment held by the fertility clinic. Like a lot of laboratories, this can include items such as ART workstations and microscopes, but it can also include incubators and imaging systems. All these systems are highly sensitive and often calibrated to meet site-specific standards. During a move, you need to protect the equipment against damage and then, once on site, quickly get everything set up and working so the clinic can get on with their work.
You then have the cryogenic storage systems used for storing embryos, gametes and tissues. These are highly dangerous and sensitive containers which contain liquid nitrogen tanks. To ensure the viability of the samples these tanks must stay at cryogenic temperatures with minimal vibrations during transport.
Finally, there is a need to meet industry regulations and requirements. To meet HESS requirements, fertility clinics have to operate in clean spaces with strict control over contamination and environmental risks.
The high demands of the job mean there is no room for error and every step, from disassembly right through to transport and reinstallation, must be executed with precision.
What should you look for in an IVF lab removal company?
When looking for a fertility removal company, the first thing to do is check their previous work. Have they undertaken a fertility clinic move? Do they understand the complexity of the work and how to maintain a high level of standard throughout? Do they offer a complete service from disassembling the equipment to the transportation and then finally putting everything back in place?
Once you’ve checked their experience, you need to check the following credentials:
- Planning – as with any lab move, the company should conduct a thorough risk assessment and prepare a method statement and comprehensive plan that covers every eventuality. This should identify each step, evaluate the type and amount of equipment that is to be moved, packaging requirements, transport methods and the space available for moving large equipment.
- Communication – your lab removal company should spend a lot of time and effort ensuring that everything is planned out in minute detail. This thread of communication should involve laboratory personnel and key members within your team and then extend throughout the moving process. For example, at Benchmark, you will be assigned a dedicated project manager who works closely with you throughout the process. Their job is to ensure your requirements are communicated clearly to the team undertaking the removal of your lab. This process starts from the moment we arrive at your laboratory until the moment we complete handover at your new site.
- Fertility lab removal regulations – when moving any lab, the removal company must meet certain conditions and regulatory requirements. This includes providing a Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) assessment that identifies the risk associated with materials, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and measures to correctly decontaminate, decommission and prepare the equipment. However, with a fertility lab removal, the removal company should work with the customer on their Human Tissue Authority (HTA) tissue transportation risk assessment. This will identify and control any risks to the human tissue while in transit and ensure and ensures it complies with HTA handling and transport requirements to prevent the risk of loss or damage. Working with specialists who are experienced in transporting frozen human tissue should be an essential requirement when project planning your relocation.
- Protecting sample integrity – one of the most critical elements when moving IVF samples is the need for LN2 transportation (liquid nitrogen transport tanks). Moving liquid nitrogen at cryogenic temperatures is a specialised process which requires strict safety protocols according to the HTA. Steps include evaluating hazards such as damage, loss or temperature fluctuations. The removal team should then put control measures in place, including appropriate packaging, monitoring the nitrogen tanks, third-party agreements, compliance and traceability.
- Removal team – are the crew experienced in this delicate type of removal work and do they understand the sensitivities and delicacy in the work? It’s not uncommon for companies to subcontract the removal element of the work, which leaves you potentially exposed to a team who are not trained in this specific type of work. For example, if you work with Benchmark, we only use our own in-house teams who are trained in the specific requirements of a fertility clinic move. Throughout the process, our project manager will work closely with your team to ensure everyone is fully briefed on the project.
- Recalibration – once the precious samples have arrived at the new laboratory, what happens next? Will your removal company ensure your equipment is recalibrated to give you the confidence that your environment is safe, compliant with regulatory guidelines and ready for use? Everything will be back in place, ready for checks that ensure you are meeting HFEA standards.
Why work with Benchmark Services?
A fertility lab move will never be simple, but it also shouldn’t feel uncertain. When you partner with Benchmark Services, we can guarantee you are working with a team who understand the regulations, the level of care required and attention of detail needed for a seamless move.
We have 25 years of experience in laboratory moving services, and our very experienced and dedicated team will support you throughout every step of your move.
Speak to us about your relocation
IVF Lab Relocation: Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs to be involved in planning an IVF laboratory relocation?
IVF lab relocations should be fully project managed as a combined effort from all stakeholders invested in the success of the move. Laboratory teams and specialists should take responsibility for delicate biological materials, while the relocation experts will be in charge of packaging and handling of the high-value equipment. Careful planning and communication across all teams is essential for a successful move. Your project manager should take overall charge of any relocation, pulling together laboratory personnel and working closely with the relocation team.
Can an IVF lab remain partially operational during a relocation?
This depends on the scale and phasing of the relocation. If only one section of the lab is being moved, then partial operations should be possible, providing the sterility and cleanliness of the lab, and safe access for lab techs, can be maintained during the transition. For full lab relocations, more detailed planning is required.
How long should an IVF lab expect to be offline during a full relocation?
Many laboratory relocations are planned around periods of normal downtime, either evenings or weekends, depending on the scale of the relocation and size of project. Phased approaches during normal working windows also lessen the impact of downtime to ensure the lab doesn’t lose valuable project time. Working with a team of experts in laboratory logistics will ensure downtime is kept to an absolute minimum.