• Who we are
• What we do
  • Our role as regulator
  • Our role to provide guidance and advice
  • Our role as an improved information provider
  • Our goals
  • What we license
  • The HFE Act (and other legislation)
• Committees and papers
• Our public events
• Requesting information

• Our role as regulator

  The HFEA is the UK’s independent regulator of treatment using eggs and sperm, and of treatment and research involving human embryos. We set standards for, and issue licences to centres.

• Our role to provide guidance and advice

  The HFEA provides authoritative information for the public, in particular for people seeking treatment, donor-conceived people and donors. We also determine the policy framework for fertility issues, which are sometimes ethically and clinically complex.

• Our role as an improved information provider

  The HFEA holds a large amount of information about fertility treatments in the UK and the new HFE Act has allowed us to make it more accessible.

• Our goals

  During the final few months of the 2008/09 business year, the Authority began to develop a new three year Corporate Strategy for 2009/12. The Authority agreed to a number of broad strategic aims for the next three years.

• What we license

  In addition to licensing and monitoring treatment and research centres, the HFEA also monitors and licenses many procedures currently available for the treatment of infertility.

• The HFE Act (and other legislation)

  The new HFE Act includes provisions for research on different types of embryos and changes the definition of legal parenthood for cases involving assisted reproduction.

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Page last updated: 04 April 2009

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