IVF docs overestimating their knowledge and abilities can lead to hype in reproductive medicine

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-11-12 10:14

Australia; VIC

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In vitro fertilisation (IVF) doctors overestimating their knowledge and abilities, known as the Dunning-Kruger effect, can produce a cycle of hype about new treatments in reproductive medicine, which can result in harm to patients, say Australian experts. The experts use the example of a fertility treatment called endometrial scratch, which, despite limited evidence of its usefulness, was rapidly embraced to the point where 83% of clinics in some countries either offered or recommended the process, something the authors say is the “peak of inflated expectations” or “Mount Stupid”.   The authors say that there must be a concerted effort by regulators to classify reproductive treatments, interventions and 'add-ons' as being either: effective (proven safety and effectiveness); innovative (presumed safety but unproven effectiveness); or experimental (unproven safety and unproven effectiveness).