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

At this meeting the Authority took the decision to allow the bulk import of sperm from Denmark to a named UK Licensed centre. The Authority made this decision subject to several conditions:

• That screening standards were strictly complied with;
• That Danish donors whose sperm would be exported to the UK would be:
  - informed that their sperm would be so exported;
  - told of the differences between British and Danish law particularly with reference to the possibility that their identities might at some time be revealed;
  - told that identifying and non-identifying information about them would be collected; and
  - given all relevant information; and
  - required to sign consent forms, as appropriate.

The Authority confirmed that this decision should not be taken as setting a precedent as every new application for bulk import would need to be considered on its own merits. The Authority agreed to review the position of bulk import in 12 months' time.

The Authority also at this meeting agreed standard patient text on the welfare of the child, consent to storage and use of gametes, parental responsibility and the HFEA register. Copies of these model texts can be found on this web-site.

The Chairman reported on her meeting with Dr Shapiro, chairman of the American National Bioethics Advisory Commission. The Authority welcomed a closer working relationship with that body.

The Authority took the opportunity of this meeting formally to adopt the Public Service Enforcement Concordat.

At this meeting the Authority considered a number of substantive papers. These included covered the work that had been done and the work planned on its data register, the draft programme for the 1999 Annual Conference, the report of the second year of the HFEA's audit programme and the draft 1989/99 Annual Accounts. The Authority also received reports from a number of its committees including the Audit Committee, the Code of Practice Committee, the Ethics Committee, Licence and Fees Committee and the Working Group on New Reproductive Technology

Page last updated: 24 October 2011

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