A Portuguese-based IVF clinic, Ovom Care, recently filed for insolvency in late August, leaving approximately 200 patients, about 60 per cent of whom are British, in the middle of their fertility treatment. The clinic continued accepting payments and performing procedures up until days before declaring insolvency, which has left many patients unable to claim refunds from their banks or credit card providers. This is because they had paid directly to the clinic to avoid currency exchange fees, a common practice for international patients. London-based clinic Avenues, led by Dr. Cristina Hickman, one of Ovom Care's co-founders, has offered to take over the care of affected British patients. Dr. Hickman criticized the clinic’s venture capital-backed business model and described the sudden closure as the biggest global disaster in the IVF sector. She expressed concern over the financial pressures that led to the clinic’s collapse and the impact on patients undergoing critical treatment. To protect patients’ biological materials, Portugal’s assisted reproduction regulator, CNPMA, and the court-appointed insolvency administrator authorized the emergency transfer of all stored eggs, sperm, embryos, and medical records to AVA Clinic in Lisbon. This move aims to ensure that patients’ biological assets are preserved and accessible for future treatment. Ovom Care chief executive Felicia von Reden apologized for the distress caused to patients and stated that those seeking refunds for unprovided treatments must register their claims with the insolvency administrator. Legal proceedings are ongoing in both Portugal and Germany as the situation is being reviewed by the courts. Patients are advised to follow the official channels for any refund claims or further assistance.