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26 May 2006

To: All Persons Responsible & All HFEA Inspectors

Dear Colleague,

In August 2004, I wrote to you announcing that the Authority has revised its policy on the licensing of individuals carrying out intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and polar body / blastomere biopsies and on the information to be reported regarding treatment cycles involving preimplantation testing. The purpose of this letter is to further clarify this process, especially in relation to the procedure for recognising polar body / embryo biopsy practitioners.

As you are aware the Authority has agreed that it would no longer be necessary for centres to apply to a Licence Committee of the Authority for the recognition of new polar body / blastomere biopsy practitioners. However, these new practitioners will still be required to be inspected either by a HFEA external advisor or by a recognised polar body / embryo biopsy practitioner within your own centre prior to carrying out clinical biopsies.

As I informed you in the last letter it is no longer necessary for new ICSI practitioners to be inspected and approved by the HFEA.

Revised policy on the process for recognising ICSI and polar body / blastomere biopsy practitioners is attached at Annex A to this letter.

The HFEA will continue to require centres to record and report information on individual ICSI and polar body / blastomere practitioners. Directions instructing centres on the information required to be submitted to the HFEA are enclosed with this letter (attached at Annexes B and C). 

Centres are required to record information on each treatment cycle involving preimplantation testing. The Directions attached to this letter also instruct centres on the information to be recorded and that this information must be submitted to the HFEA upon request If you have any queries about this letter please contact the HFEA Inspector for your centre.

Yours faithfully,

Suzi Leather

Chair

Encl:

• Annex A (469 Kb)
  Revised Guidance on the process for recognising ICSI and polar body / blastomere biopsy practitioners

• Annex B: Directions D.2006/2 - these Directions replace Directions D.2004/5

• Annex C: Directions D.2006/3 - these Directions replace Directions D.2004/6

Page last updated: 23 August 2012

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