HFE Act 1990

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Act was drafted following the publication of a White Paper: ‘Human Fertilisation and Embryology: A Framework for Legislation’ in 1987. This cornerstone piece of legislation finally received Royal Assent on 1 November, 1990.

Key elements of the 1990 Act

Critically, the 1990 Act provided for the establishment of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), an executive, non-departmental public body, the first statutory body of its type in the world.  With the creation of the HFEA, the 1990 Act ensured the regulation, through licensing, of:

  • the creation of human embryos outside the body and their use in treatment and research
  • the use of donated gametes and embryos
  • the storage of gametes and embryos.

Read the legislation

  • Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 ) Department of Health website

    Note - this document does not have official status, it was prepared by the Department of Health purely to assist in the understanding of the changes brought about by the HFE Act 2008.

Page last updated: 23 March 2009

How we regulate fertility clinics

Doctors in a clinic having a discussionThe HFEA regularly inspects UK fertility clinics and research centres.

This ensures that every licensed clinic is adhering to safety and ethical rules set out by the UK government.

...more about our regulation process

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