Fires, tank failures, risks to cryogenic storage are rising
Security Gaps Widen as Threats Multiply
The stakes are rising for IVF labs as a growing array of threats—natural disasters, equipment malfunctions, and acts of violence—put cryogenically preserved reproductive specimens at risk. These challenges expose a critical weakness in the sector’s preparedness: many labs lack integrated, tested systems to safeguard stored materials under emergency conditions.
The vulnerabilities are no longer hypothetical. In January 2025, the Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles forced mandatory evacuations in neighborhoods housing IVF clinics, underscoring the fragility of storage continuity during natural disasters. Similarly, a 2018 tank malfunction at a San Francisco fertility clinic resulted in the loss of hundreds of embryos and triggered multiple lawsuits. More recently, in May 2025, a car bomb detonated outside the American Reproductive Centers clinic in Palm Springs killed one person and injured four others. The FBI classified the bombing as an act of terrorism.
These incidents highlight a shared concern across the fertility industry: the emotional, legal, and operational consequences of specimen loss.
Is Your IVF Lab Really Ready for the Next Emergency?
What You Don’t Know About Your Cryo Storage Plan Could Cost You Everything
One tank failure. One power outage. One unthinkable event—and everything changes.
Download From Crisis to Control to get:
A proven emergency framework built for IVF labs
Strategies to reduce liability and avoid patient loss
Tools to spot gaps in your current emergency plan
Real-world solutions to secure cryogenic storage, transport, and monitoring
Don’t wait for disaster. Download your free white paper now and learn how to protect what matters most.
Secure Labs Now
1 in 3 Labs Still Rely on Manual Monitoring
Despite the high risks, many IVF clinics continue to operate with limited resources and aging equipment. Staff are often stretched thin, juggling daily monitoring tasks with patient communication and emergency response duties—frequently without added budget or personnel. As one example, clinics still relying on dipstick readings or periodic temperature checks are left without real-time visibility into tank conditions, increasing the risk of undetected failures.
Even when clinics have basic emergency plans—like backup generators or assigned roles—those plans often remain untested or incomplete. Many clinics have explored transport options or off-site storage but haven’t moved forward due to cost concerns, lack of urgency, or limited provider availability.
Surge in Violent Incidents Accelerates Readiness Shift
The Palm Springs bombing marked a turning point in how fertility centers view security. Unlike past concerns centered on mechanical failures, this incident introduced a new category of threat: targeted violence. The attack reinforced the need for all-hazard preparedness strategies that include terrorism, civil unrest, and other physical threats.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), comprehensive emergency plans should be part of standard operating procedures at IVF clinics. These plans must account for facility-specific risks and incorporate strategies for everything from equipment failure to natural disasters to security threats.
Clinics Turn to Off-Site Storage and 24/7 Monitoring
To address these threats, clinics are increasingly adopting advanced monitoring systems and off-site storage solutions. Providers offering real-time data, emergency tank replacement, validated transport, and 24/7 oversight have become essential partners for IVF labs seeking to fortify their operations.
Jason Barritt, Chief Scientific Officer at Kindbody says, “IVF centers are not typically designed or purpose-built for safe and secure long-term cryogenic storage. As a result, they are inherently more vulnerable to many risks such as natural disasters, security threats, human and mechanical system failures. In contrast, off-site, dedicated cryogenic storage facilities offer enhanced protection through multiple layers of monitoring, backup redundancies for storage, are designed with physical security in mind and are also available with multiple human and machine controls for significant disaster preparedness.”
CryoFuture, founded by embryologists who have managed tank failures and clinic evacuations firsthand, has positioned itself at the forefront of this shift. The company provides a layered response model that includes thermal imaging, weight sensors, redundant alarms, and a connected platform for real-time inventory management. Transport services are staffed by medically trained couriers and validated beyond manufacturer standards to reduce risk during relocation efforts.
During recent wildfires, CryoFuture worked with clinics under evacuation threat to coordinate specimen transport and on-demand tank replacement, ensuring continuity without compromising safety protocols.
Is Your IVF Lab Really Ready for the Next Emergency?
What You Don’t Know About Your Cryo Storage Plan Could Cost You Everything
One tank failure. One power outage. One unthinkable event—and everything changes.
Download From Crisis to Control to get:
A proven emergency framework built for IVF labs
Strategies to reduce liability and avoid patient loss
Tools to spot gaps in your current emergency plan
Real-world solutions to secure cryogenic storage, transport, and monitoring
Don’t wait for disaster. Download your free white paper now and learn how to protect what matters most.
Secure Labs Now