CAIRO: Mohamed Al Taranissi, an Egyptian London-based fertility doctor, was the subject of a smear campaign in the famous BBC’s popular Panorama program.
The documentary, which was aired in the UK on Monday Jan. 15, showed police confiscating 24 boxes of documents at Al Taranissi s Assisted Reproduction and Gynaecology Centre (ARGC). It claimed that he uses unknown and unproven methods of treatment and doesn’t submit the required medical documents to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) responsible for all fertility centers in the United Kingdom.
“I think the whole issue exceeded limits of realty and reactions were very exaggerating. I know I had some conflicts with the HFEA, but I never thought things would escalate to this extent, said Al Taranissi told The Daily Star Egypt in a phone interview.
He added that there might be some other reasons related to professional jealousy and resentment that were the driving force behind the TV campaign against him.
Right after the documentary was screened, hundreds of women, men and children, treated by Al Taranissi, assembled outside his clinic to back him and protest against the BBC and the HFEA.
According to an article published in The Independent newspaper, Cheryl Hudson, 38, and her husband Alan, 55, were among the demonstrators who supported Al Taranissi in front of the clinic.
Cheryl told The Independent: “We wanted to really show the support of all the parents that Mr Taranissi has helped because he had an unfair trial on Panorama and they just showed one side of the story.
She added: “We want to show the other side of the story, the wonderful success rate and all the families he s created.
“I felt really pleased when I saw an entire crowd coming to support me in front of the center against the BBC and HFEA. I believe I am working on the right path towards what benefits my patients. My patients trust me and that’s the way it will always be if Allah wills it, Al Taranissi told The Daily Star Egypt.
Essam Samad, president of the Egyptian association in Europe, strongly condemned the campaign against Al Taranissi and considered it clear proof of “resentment and jealousy toward the Egyptian doctor.
“Since 1995, the HFEA itself has been stating that Al Taranissi’s center breaks the record in achieving the highest success rates in the fertility field. The centre was able to achieve 58.5% success rates, while other centers reach only 28%. It is clear there are jealousy factors affecting the situation, Samad told The Daily Star Egypt in a phone interview.
He said the HFEA accused Al Taranissi of using unproven medication that was not commonly used in other fertility centers, which gave them the right to withdraw the center’s license.
According to Samad, the campaign is considered the most recent method of putting obstacles in Al Taranissi’s path.
“Even before this campaign, the HFEA has always disagreed with Al Taranissi’s forward thinking in treating his patients. They have always been hindering him from getting approvals for new treatment methods, said Samad, who is also the head of the anesthesia department at Al Taranissi’s center.
Samad said that only one box of the 24 boxes that were confiscated by the police was full of real documents. The rest were empty but the BBC documentary screened the police raid intentionally give false impression.
He added that the Egyptian association in Europe is seriously considering raising the issue at the British Parliament to put an end to this media offensive.
“We have spoken to the Egyptian ambassador to the UK and the Egyptian Consul General. We will raise the issue in the Parliament after coordinating with them, said Samad.
