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Thousands of couples\u2019 intimate fertility details were accessed by Russian hackers after they targeted a prestigious clinic, Metro can reveal.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0London<\/a>\u00a0Women\u2019s Clinic, which offers IVF, egg freezing and other fertility treatments at 17 centres across the country, was compromised by the ransomware gang Qilin.<\/p>\n A number of NHS patients are among those who use the clinic and may have had their private medical data stolen.<\/p>\n The \u2018concerning\u2019 data breach is believed to have taken place on October 19, when the Russian group posted about it on its dark web channels.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One former private patient, who used the clinic with her husband for initial investigations, told\u00a0Metro<\/strong>: \u2018It\u2019s horrible to think my personal details could be part of a criminal database, with information it was hard to share even with a doctor potentially becoming public knowledge. Fertility challenges are already hard enough.<\/p>\n \u2018News that they have been hacked is a concern, as obviously the things you share and discuss in those consultations can be incredibly intimate and upsetting, and not the kind of thing you\u2019d want to see plastered on the dark web.<\/p>\n \u2018I haven\u2019t had any emails from them to indicate there could have been a problem, so this is the first I\u2019ve heard of it.<\/p>\n \u2018They used encryption to send confidential messages, so seemed to be taking care to keep personal information protected. Hopefully any data accessed was therefore limited.\u2019<\/p>\n The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and NHS England have confirmed the hack.<\/p>\n Rachel Cutting, director of compliance and information at the HFEA, said: \u2018The clinic has informed the HFEA of the incident in line with its regulatory requirements and is giving us regular updates during the course of their full investigation.<\/p>\n \u2018We appreciate that this incident may be concerning to patients. Any patients who have questions about the incident should contact the clinic. Patients can also access further support through the clinic\u2019s counselling service.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tone Jarvis-Mack, of the Fertility Foundation, called on The London Women\u2019s Clinic, which has not commented publicly about the hack, to be \u2018transparent\u2019 about the nature of the \u2018concerning\u2019 data breach.<\/p>\n The fertility\u00a0charity<\/a>\u2019s chief executive last night said: \u2018The clinic should be transparent. Any company is vulnerable to an attack.<\/p>\n \u2018That patient data may be leaked out into the public will add more stress at a time when they are going through a stressful situation.<\/p>\n \u2018If their personal or medical information is out there, that could leave them vulnerable to scams. Clinics should be ultra secure. We have to go on faith that they are protecting our data.\u2019<\/p>\n Mr Jarvis-Mack estimated that the clinic could hold sensitive personal data for \u2018thousands\u2019 of couples they have treated over the years, including many partners being funded through the NHS.<\/p>\n He continued: \u2018The London Women\u2019s Clinic holds treatment data, and information on medication tests, STI checks.<\/p>\n \u2018There are all kinds of tests you would not want public. With that information that would allow them to create the perfect scam. They would know exactly who you are, your partner\u2019s name, your occupation.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n An\u00a0NHS\u00a0<\/a>England<\/a>\u00a0spokesperson said: \u2018We are aware of an incident affecting the private provider London Women\u2019s Clinic and our Cyber Security Operations Centre has been working with them to offer support and assess any impact.\u2019<\/p>\n The London Women\u2019s Clinic opened in 1985 and pioneered treatments for prospective mothers.<\/p>\n They were the first clinic in the UK to provide sperm donor insemination for lesbian couples.\\<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/badvibes.live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SEI_274909042-fee8-e1763560236173-300x183.webp\")
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