Sarah Norcross

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Sarah Norcross 2013

Sarah Norcross has been the director of the Progress Educational Trust (PET) since the 3rd of December 2007. PET has been described as 'a registered charity that works to create an environment in which research and practice in genetics and assisted reproduction will thrive'. She is also commissioning editor of their online weekly digest BioNews, for whom she began writing articles in 2008. Prior to this, according to her BioNews profile, she was a barrister on the Northern Circuit and studied law at King’s College London.

Board Memberships and Affiliations

Norcross has a number of current board memberships and affiliations. Since at least 2010, she has been the Co-Chair of the campaigning organisation Fertility Fairness, alongside Susan Seenan, which is entirely funded by Merck Serono and Ferring Pharmaceuticals. She was also the vice chair and trustee for the Daisy Network premature Menopause Support Group for more than 7 years, likely between around 1999 and 2007. She is also a member of: the HFEA National Gamete Donation Strategy Group; the education, engagement and training working group for the UK government’s Human Genomics strategy group, which has the remit to 'monitor advances in genetic and genomics research…to evaluate their benefit to healthcare services in the NHS', and to 'develop, in partnership with other stakeholders, a vision for genomics in the NHS'. Alastair Kent of the Genetic Alliance UK (formerly the Gentic Interest Group) is also a member of this training working group. Norcross is also a member of the Association of Fertility Patient Organisations (AFPO), which 'is a group of patient, donor and other voluntary organisations which is co-ordinated by Infertility Network UK', although this group has no web presence. The organisations involved in AFPO are: the Infertility Network UK, the Donor Conception Network, the Multiple Births Foundation, the Daisy Network, the Progress Educational Trust, and the National Gamete Donation Trust. The group was set up by the current chair of Fertility Europe, Susan Seenan. In 2012 Norcross was a member of the advisory group on the paper entitled 'Assessing Child Welfare under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act: The New Law' carried out at the University of Kent's Centre for Parenting Culture Studies, by Ellie Lee, Jan Macvarish and Sally Sheldon. According to BioNews she is also a member of the research advisory group on Transnational Reproduction, although she is not listed under the people section on the website link provided. Jennie Bristow was given thanks for editorial assistance. Sarah Norcross also chaired and coordinated the steering group of clinicians, scientists, patient support groups and medical research charities which fed into policy for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 as it passed through both Houses of Parliament, and she continued this role during the implementation of the Act by the UK Government's Department of Health and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Linkedin links

Her linkedin profile links to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), SBK Healthcare, and the Pharmaceutical, Biotech & Healthcare Discussion Group. She is also following the companies: Abbott (hospital healthcare), Sofia Genetics SA (a leader in data driven medicine and clinical genomics, working with health professionals to improve the prediction and care paths of genetic diseases), and the London Women's clinic.

LM Network Links

Norcross has worked closely with Sandy Starr at PET, as shown in the annual reports and listed in the panel appearances section below. She has also worked with Starr and core LM associate Dr Mike Fitzpatrick towards a school educational pack on genetics. She also has a continued relationship working with LM Network associate Juliet Tizzard, now head of the HFEA, who previously worked for PET in her position. The trustees of PET, as of 9 April 2015, are: Anthony Hickinbotham, John Parsons Dr Christine Patch, Professor John Galloway, Ms Laura Riley, Dr Jessica Louise Buxton, and Ms Fiona Fox. Prior to this she appears to have an 8 year history of involvement with infertility networks that began with her involvement with the Daisy Network premature Menopause Support Group, and worked as a barrister carrying out advocacy in the civil and criminal courts on the Northern Circuit.

Views

Media presence

She is a fairly regular presence as a commentator in the mainstream media commenting on issues surrounding IVF treatment.

IVF changes

Norcross argues that changes in regulation relating to the use of 3 donors DNA in IVF has been too slow:

While we welcome the Government's decisions, we are disappointed by the time it has taken to reach this point in the process

And

The people who oppose this will be saying it's too quick, why the rush, but inevitably the delay is passed on to people who want to avoid passing on these devastating conditions to their children

And

UK scientists are leading the way in the prevention of inherited mitochondrial disease. Now, with the public voicing its clear support, UK policymakers can lead the way in showing how policy and regulation can keep pace with scientific developments, so that patients can benefit without delay

Precautionary Principle

Norcross speaks implicitly against the precautionary principle in a number of articles and seeks to speed up processes whereby new technologies are accepted, and regulations are changed or removed. For example, Norcross also argues the slow pace of genetic regulation changes will impact families most when considering the length of time the government took to respond to the HFEA’s third scientific review into safety and efficacy of mitochondria replacement:

The committee has found the proposed techniques to avoid passing on mitochondrial disease “not unsafe”. That is as good as it gets for this type of novel technique in reproductive medicine. There is nothing in this third scientific review to prevent the Government passing legislation to allow these treatments to be used in the clinic, and so we hope it is third time lucky for families affected by mitochondrial disease. The findings of this review should mean that affected families are a step closer to being able to avoid passing on these debilitating diseases

BioNews (2008-Present)

PET and controversial issues

PET is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects and is adept at framing the discussion of these even when they involve issues of personal and community sensitivity such as cousin marriage, race and mental health. It is to PET's great credit that these topics can be discussed so openly and freely. The professionalism and sensitivity with which they approach each subject is excellent

Commenting on the tactics of the Science Media Centre

I had gained an insight into these via PET's communications officer, Sandy Starr, who had been a 'private' in this battle and attended some of the 'war campaign' meetings My perspective was this was a professional group of press officers from various organisations led by Fiona Fox director of the SMC, doing their job effectively and professionally without the hope of a medal

Career Chronology

• No Dates found - Northern Circuit - Barrister
• 2007(approx)-2009(approx) - Human fertilisation and Embryology Act - Steering Committee
• 3 December 2007-Present - Progress Educational trust - Director
• 2008-Present - BioNews - Contributor/Writer

Chronology of Board memberships and Affiliations

• 1999(approx)-2007(approx) - The Daisy Network - Vice-chair and trustee
• 2007(approx)-2009(approx) - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 - Co-ordinator and Chair of Steering Group
• (At least)2010-2012(approx) - National Genetics Education and Development Centre - Steering Group
• (At least)2010-August 2014(approx) - Transnational Reproduction - Research Advisory Group
• (At least)2010-Present - UK Government Human Genomics Strategy Group -Member of the Education, Engagement And Training Working Group
• (At least)2010-Present - National Infertility Awareness Campaign (now the Infertility Network UK) - Steering Committee member
• (At least)2010-Present - National Gamete Donation Trust - Advisory Council member
• (At least)2010-Present - the Association of Fertility Patient Organisations - Research Advisory group

Educational Background

• No date found - King's College London - Law

Panel, TV and Radio Appearances & Conference Attendances

2008

• 13 March 2008 - Sarah Norcross, gave a presentation as part of a Reproduction and Development MSc Spring Workshop at the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine.

2009

• January 2009 - Sarah Norcross attended a conference entitled 'Fertility 2009', the 6th biannual conference the Association of Clinical Embryologists, the British Fertility Society and the Society for Reproduction and Fertility.
• March 2009 - Sarah Norcross spoke about PET's policy work at an event entitled 'Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act: A Retrospective', organised by the Economic and Social Research Council's Genomics Network.
• June 2009 - PET Director Sarah Norcross attended the first ever Primary Care Trust Commissioners' Fertility Conference, at which Gillian Merron - Minister of State for Public Health - launched 'Regulated Fertility Services: A Commissioning Aid'.
• September 2009 - BioNews sponsored and Sarah Norcross spoke at a conference entitled 'Motherhood in the 21st Century' at University College London.
• October 2009 - Sarah Norcross led a workshop at, and Sandy Starr attended, 'Are You Ready?', the annual conference of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The workshop led by Sarah identified upcoming trends, predicted scientific advances, and highlighted possible changing priorities for patients and professionals.

2010

• February 2010 - Sarah Norcross gave the opening presentation, and also manned an exhibition stand, at a conference entitled 'Fertility Nursing: Delivering High Quality care in 2010' at the Royal College of Nursing.
• March 2010 - Sarah Norcross gave a presentation, and she and Sandy Starr manned an exhibition stand, at 'Journeys in the Genetic Jungle: Gene Therapies and Stem Cell Therapies for the 21st Century', an event for schoolchildren organised at Royal Holloway, University of London as an adjunct to the 7th Annual Conference of the British Society for Gene Therapy.
• June 2010 - Sarah Norcross attended the annual lecture of Sense About Science given by Dr Fiona Godlee, Editor of the British Medical Journal.
• June 2010 - Sarah Norcross spoke at the Daisy Network Premature Menopause Support Group's 15th annual conference.
• June 2010 - Sarah Norcross, Sandy Starr and Kerry Dyus attended and manned an exhibition stand at 'Giving Patients a Voice', the annual conference of Genetic Alliance UK (formerly Gentic Interest Group.
• August 2010 - Sarah Norcross was a guest on Vanessa Feltz's BBC London radio show, and discussed gamete donation and fertility tourism with the show's host Lowri Turner.
• October 2010 - Sarah Norcross and Sandy Starr attended a conference entitled 'What Next for Stem Cell Biology?' at the Royal Society in London, while PET Science Editor Dr Vivienne Raper attended a related evening event at the Royal Society entitled 'Cloning, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine'.
• November 2010 - Sarah Norcross attended two events at the Houses of Parliament - a debate entitled 'How Far Should We Go to Meet the Demand for Organs, Eggs, Sperm and Other Bodily Material?', organised by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, and a meeting to mark the reconvening of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Infertility following the UK General Election. Sarah went on to attend the inaugural meeting of the latter in Parliament in February 2011.
• November 2010 - Sarah Norcross and Sandy Starr attended 'Epigenetics: Where Life Meets the Genome', the annual conference of the Galton Institute.
• December 2010 - Sarah Norcross attended the launch of the Teachers TV programmes 'Genetics and Medicine' at the Wellcome Trust.

2011

• January 2011 - Sarah Norcross was awarded a Fellowship under the Genomics Policy and Research Forum's 'Bright Ideas' programme to participate in an event entitled 'The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008: A Multidisciplinary Workshop', that took place in Edinburgh in January 2011. At this event, Sarah gave a presentation about PET debate 'The End of the HFEA: Are We Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater?' wich had taken place earlier that week, and she also chaired a discussion of preimplantation diagnosis.
• January 2011 - Sarah Norcross and PET volunteer Daniel Malynn attended a debate in the House of Lords about the proposed abolition of the HFEA.

February 2011 - Sarah Norcross spoke at the annual conference of the Royal College of Nursing's Midwifery and Fertility Nursing Forum, where she also manned a PET exhibition stand.

• Throughout 2011 - Throughout the year Sarah Norcross and Sandy Starr attended, and asked questions from the audience at, several open meetings of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and the Human Genetics Commission (HGC). These meetings saw the HFEA and the HGC discuss and determine policy and practice on a wide range of issues. Sarah Norcross also attended several meetings of the London Regenerative Medicine Network.

2012

• February 2012 - Sarah Norcross gave a presentation at Stowe School in Buckingham on the potential role of mitochondrial exchange in treating inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) disease.

2014

• 30th October 2014 - Sarah Norcross and Sandy Starr offered their support for Sense About Science's 'Ask for Evidence' campaign.

Publications

2008

• Sarah Norcross, ‘A New Year, new fertility and embryology laws - and a new director for PET:’, BioNews , 7 January 2008.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Progress Educational Trust commends biosciences OBE winner:’, BioNews , 16 June 2008.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Give us your Jobs!:’, BioNews , 8 September 2008.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘A glimpse at the year ahead:’, BioNews , 5 January 2009.

2009

• Sandy Starr and Sarah Norcross, ‘Spectrum of Opinion: Genes Autism and Psychological Spectrum Disorders’, Progress Educational Trust, circa 2009.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘HFEA Code of Practice: Have your say, before it's too late:’, BioNews , 16 February 2009.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘A toast to BioNews and Zoe, the world's first frozen embryo baby:’, BioNews , 30 March 2009.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘500 Fivers Appeal: BioNews needs you!:’, BioNews , 18 May 2009.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Congratulations Clare:’, BioNews , 15 June 2009.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Welcome to the first new look BioNews by email:We are pleased to announce that following years of dealing with out-of-date technology and increasing competition, the BioNews website and the free BioNews by email service have been overhauled... ’, BioNews , 27 July 2009.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘HFEA publishes new sperm and egg donor figures:’, BioNews , 3 August 2009.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Freezing eggs leads to 'scrambled generations'?:’, BioNews , 23 October 2009.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Book Review: Reproductive Ageing:’, BioNews , 21 December 2009.

2010

• Sarah Norcross, ‘Happy New Year:Happy New Year! Welcome back! I just wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on some of our activities from last year and to inform subscribers about what can be expected from the Progress Educational Trust (PET) and BioNews in 2010... ’, BioNews , 7 January 2010.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Book Review: Marginalised Reproduction - Ethnicity, Infertility and Reproductive Technologies:When leading family researcher Professor Susan Golombok says a book is 'important and highly illuminating' and 'it should be read by everyone with a connection to the field', I thought I should add it to my 'to do' list...’, BioNews , 8 March 2010.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Book Review: Faith and Fertility - Attitudes Towards Reproductive Practices in Different Religions from Ancient to Modern Times:First as a reviewer of this book I have a declaration of interest (or lack thereof): I have no faith.... ’, BioNews , 12 April 2010.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Adieu Ailsa, Greetings Gabrielle:’, BioNews , 26 April 2010.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘UK has new minister responsible for fertility and embryology:’, BioNews , 25 May 2010.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘BioNews welcomes a new genetics editor:’, BioNews , 1 July 2010.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘TV Review: Cutting Edge - My Weird and Wonderful Family:’, BioNews , 26 July 2010.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Don't agree? Let your fingers do the talking:’, BioNews , 9 August 2010.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘A mini break at the Fertility Show:’, BioNews , 15 November 2010.

2011

• Sarah Norcross, ‘BioNews Appeal:Thanks to all of you who have already donated to the BioNews Appeal over Christmas. BioNews faces tough financial challenges in 2011 and just a small gift from all our readers would make a big difference...’, BioNews , 10 January 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Event Review: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 - A Multidisciplinary Workshop:’, BioNews , 31 January 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘To mark 12 years and 600 editions, BioNews launches birthday appeal:’, BioNews , 21 March 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘BioNews Birthday Appeal is in Progress!:Thanks to those of you who have already donated to the BioNews Birthday Appeal. We have now raised over £200 -almost a quarter of our £1000 target.... ’, BioNews , 4 April 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘BioNews Birthday Appeal receives welcome boost:The Birthday Appeal received a welcome boost from people attending the Progress Educational Trust's debate 'Is there a Place for Race in Biology?' last week.... ’, BioNews , 11 April 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘BioNews Birthday Appeal – we need eggstra help!:The BioNews team are in the depths of depression. Even an early visit from the Easter bunny hasn't cheered us up. Why?... ’, BioNews , 18 April 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘BioNews editors resequenced:This week sees a change (or should that be a mutation?) of BioNews Genetics Editor, as Dr Rebecca Hill takes over from Chris Chatterton... ’, BioNews , 30 June 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Racing ahead in the polls:’, BioNews , 26 September 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Bienvenue Monsieur Brooks and hasta la vista Vivienne:This edition of BioNews sees a new Science Editor, as James Brooks takes over from Dr Vivienne Raper....’, BioNews , 17 October 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘It's critical:A week is a long time in fertility and embryo research policy. That's why the Progress Educational Trust is launching a new appeal... ’, BioNews , 24 October 2011.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Progress in the marketplace:This year the Progress Educational Trust decided to exhibit at the Fertility Show again. The Fertility Show is a popular consumer event aimed at those who want information or advice on fertility. But as such, it evokes mixed feelings... ’, BioNews , 14 November 2011.

2012

• Sarah Norcross, ‘Book Review: Mixed Blessings - Building a Family with and without Donor Help:A booklet full of advice and case studies, this will be a useful book for all those creating a family, as well as for those who work with them - particularly fertility counsellors... ’, BioNews , 6 June 2012.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Predicting the genetic future:’, BioNews , 3 September 2012.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Mitochondria in the spotlight:Mitochondria don't normally get much press attention, they like to keep a low profile generating energy in the cells and leave nuclear DNA to grab the headlines... ’, BioNews , 17 September 2012.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Donor conception: a question of perspective:’, BioNews , 26 November 2012.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Fifty shades of Gray's Inn Road:The controversial issues discussed in BioNews aren't all black and white - fifty shades of grey is perhaps a more accurate description... ’, BioNews , 3 December 2012.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘The mince pie problem:Someone who came to our event this week 'Giving: The Gamete Donor Perspective' very kindly brought some mince pies for us. She brought 30 mince pies. I gave two boxes away to stalwart volunteers. But this generous gift posed a problem... ’, BioNews , 17 December 2012.

2013

• Sarah Norcross, ‘Education of general practitioners and others working in primary care and those who commission fertility treatment’, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 2013, Vol 27(1), pp.21-24.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Resolute:Happy New Year to all our readers! New Year's resolutions usually involve cutting back on the 'bad' habits and increasing the 'good' ones... ’, BioNews , 7 January 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘The fiscal cliff:’, BioNews , 14 January 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Thinking caps on!:’, BioNews , 21 January 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Securing our future:’, BioNews , 28 January 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Poll: When It Takes More Than Two:Over the past few months, the charity that publishes BioNews - the Progress Educational Trust (PET) - has been running a Wellcome Trust supported project about donor conception entitled 'When It Takes More Than Two'.... ’, BioNews , 18 March 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Genetic Chan-ges:This week's edition of BioNews sees a new Genetics Editor, Siobhan Chan, at the controls.... ’, BioNews , 8 April 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Obituary: Professor Sir Robert Edwards:Professor Sir Robert Edwards (27 September 1925-10 April 2013) has died after a long illness.... ’, BioNews , 10 April 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, 'Mitochondrial plea', New Scientist, 13 April 2013, Vol.218(2912), p. 29.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘700 and counting:’, BioNews , 15 April 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, 'Cassandra's prophecy: Education, education, education', Reproductive BioMedicine Online, July 2013, Vol.27(1), pp.21-24.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Event Review: Patients Have the Right for an Anonymous Donor:Given that the Progress Educational Trust (PET) has just completed a project on gamete donation I was more than intrigued about this debate, but was left disappointed... ’, BioNews , 29 July 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Book Review: Telling and Talking with Friends and Family/Our Family:’, BioNews , 19 August 2013.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Want a break from Cyber Monday?:Here's a great way to help BioNews, meaning that we receive a little gift with every purchase you make...’, BioNews , 2 December 2013.

2014

• Sarah Norcross, ‘How and why mitochondrial replacement gets our vote', Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 2014, Vol 29(2), pp.267-268
• Sarah Norcross, ‘'Ignorance and prejudice should not be allowed to dictate the outcome':PET needs your help to continue to inform the debate on the ethical issues surrounding genetics, assisted conception and stem cell and embryo research so that 'ignorance and prejudice do not dictate the outcome'...’, BioNews , 20 January 2014.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘We are not afraid:PET is delighted to receive a testimonial from John Harris, professor of bioethics at the University of Manchester... ’, BioNews , 27 January 2014.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Book Review: Relative Strangers - Family Life, Genes and Donor Conception:I don't often put my hand up to review books when they pop through the letterbox. Normally, after the pleasure of opening the parcel and inhaling the scent of fresh book, I quickly put it on someone else's desk...’, BioNews , 12 May 2014.
• Sarah Norcross, 'How and why mitochondrial replacement gets our vote', Reproductive BioMedicine Online, August 2014, Vol.29(2), pp.267-268.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘The Commercialisation of BioNews?:With our conference 'The Commercialisation of Life' just a couple of weeks away, we have been thinking about raising sufficient funds to ensure that BioNews remains a free service throughout 2015... ’, BioNews , 18 November 2014.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Click through on Cyber Monday:Cyber Monday is the day on which internet shopping sales are expected to soar... ’, BioNews , 1 December 2014.

2015

• Sarah Norcross, ‘Happy New Year: BioNews is back!... ’, BioNews , 12 January 2015.
• Sarah Norcross, ‘Mitochondrial donation, Peers and the public’, BioNews , 23 February 2015.

Resources

• Sarah Norcross Linkedin
• , Sarah Norcross, Internet Archive of BioNews profile