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14 June 2000

To: All Persons Responsible

Dear Colleague,

LICENSING OF RESEARCH - NEW INITIAL AND RENEWAL APPLICATION FORMS AND THE INTRODUCTION OF PROGRESS REPORTS

As part of its recent review of the licensing of research projects, the HFEA has revised both the initial and renewal application forms for a research licence. Both the revised Initial Application for a Research Licence and the revised Application for Renewal of a Research Licence are enclosed with this letter.

As more centres are now being granted research licences for more than one year, the HFEA has introduced Progress Report forms that centres will be required to submit in the interim years of two and three year research licences. In the future, research licences will carry the following standard condition:

'that the centre shall within 28 days of each anniversary of the grant of the research licence or within such other period as may be specified in Directions, provide the Authority with a progress report as is specified in Directions'.

The accompanying Directions and the Progress Report form are also enclosed with this letter. The content of the Progress Report form is based on that of the revised application forms.

The major changes from the current application forms are:

• the forms now ask for information on: the number of embryos and oocytes received for use in research; those actually used; and the number of embryos created for research purposes. The forms ask research centres to supply separately the numbers of embryos and oocytes received from each treatment clinic. (See section 9.2 of the Initial Application for a Research Licence; section 8.1 of the Application for Renewal of a Research Licence; and section 6.1 of the Progress Report); and
• research centres are asked to provide the objectives and protocols sections of any funding application made, excluding financial details. This information is for internal HFEA use only, and will not be sent out to Peer Review. (See section 16 of the Initial Application for a Research Licence; section 15 of the Application for Renewal of a Research Licence; and section 11 of the Progress Report).

It is anticipated that the revised Initial Application for a Research Licence and the revised Application for Renewal of a Research Licence will come into use in November 2000. The delayed introduction should allow centres sufficient time to put into place systems to generate the required data.

If you have any questions about the revised forms, please contact Dr Jo Rippington on 020-7539-3328.

Yours sincerely,

Suzanne McCarthy
Chief Executive

Page last updated: 24 August 2012

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