• 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

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

The HFEA licences  

Below is a list of the activities licensed by the HFEA (‘licensed activity’) and the processes which are used to carry the licensed activity.

 

Licensed activity	Authorised processes
Procuring gametes	Egg collection Surgical sperm collection Ovarian tissue collection
Keeping gametes	Culture of eggs
Processing gametes	Semen preparation Egg preparation In vitro maturation Thawing/re-warming gametes
Distribution of gametes	Transfer of sperm between centres Transfer of eggs between centres
Use of gametes	IUI GIFT IVF ICSI
Storage of gametes	Freezing of eggs Freezing of sperm Vitrification of eggs Freezing of testicular tissue (not for transplantation purposes unless an HTA licence is in place) Freezing of ovarian tissue (not for transplantation purposes unless an HTA licence is in place)
Storage of embryos	Freezing of pronucleate embryos Freezing of early cleavage embryos Freezing of blastocysts Vitrification of embryos Vitrification of blastocysts
Creation of embryos	IVF ICSI
Procuring embryos	Lavage
Keeping embryos	Culture system
Testing embryos	PGD PGS Polar body biopsy
Processing embryos	Culture Assisted hatching (mechanical, chemical, laser) Morphological grading Manipulation Thawing/ re-warming of blastocysts and embryos Non-invasive assessments
Distribution of embryos	Transfer of embryos between centres
Placing permitted embryo in a woman	Embryo transfer
Using embryos in training	Embryo biopsy Blastocyst biopsy Cryopreservation and thawing techniques Vitrification Assisted hatching (mechanical, chemical, laser) Embryo handling and manipulation Assessment of embryos

 

Page last updated: 11 April 2009

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