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A summary of the meeting of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in February 1999

The HFEA gave detailed consideration to its Business and Corporate Plans and Draft 1999/00 Budget. In particular the HFEA noted the progress it had made against its 1998/99 planned activities and how work would be taken forward into the next financial year. The Authority agreed that seven projects should have the highest priority:

• To implement a more risk based / cost effective licensing system;
• To complete the redevelopment of the data system and that use should be made of data information to facilitate clinical studies relevant to good practice;
• To achieve year 2000 compliance of the Authority's IT equipment and have in place effective business continuity plans;
• To publish a redesigned Patients' Guide and other HFEA literature;
• To develop the HFEA's policy on follow-up studies by first ascertaining the Authority's legal and practical abilities in assisting such studies;
• To implement the new system for collecting license fee income (subject to receiving Department of Health and Treasury agreement); and
• To implement suitable performance measures.

Following detailed discussion the HFEA approved the draft Plans and budget.

In addition the HFEA considered whether Directions should be made allowing the injection of human sperm into mouse oocytes for research purposes. If made, such Directions would need to be reported to the Secretary of State and could not come into effect until the Secretary of State had laid a copy of the report before each House of Parliament.

It was decided that it would be useful for a consultation exercise to be conducted involving clinics, the BFS and other organisations on what additional information the HFEA might collect if, and when, electronic transfer of data was phased in.

Finally, note was taken that consideration would be given by various HFEA committees to blastocyst transfer, and that the technique was new and should be considered as experimental compared with routine embryo transfer.

Page last updated: 24 October 2011

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