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20 April 2006

The UK regulator for fertility treatment and human embryo research, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), will be holding an open Authority meeting in Belfast for the first time on Wednesday 10 May 2006 giving the public the chance to see the deliberations of the HFEA and also ask questions of the Authority's members.

The HFEA will be discussing issues such as:

• Women donating eggs for research
• Embryo screening for breast cancer and similar conditions
• Inspection programme and incident monitoring

Dame Suzi Leather, HFEA chair says:
"We are responsible for regulating fertility treatment and embryo research across the whole of the UK so it is important that we are open to all in the UK.

"We are committed to taking our open Authority meetings across the whole of the UK and I am pleased that we are able to hold our open meeting in Belfast for the first time.

"This is an important area of very real public interest and we believe that it is important that our work is as transparent and accountable as possible. I hope that patients and other interested individuals based in Northern Ireland will take the opportunity to attend and ask questions of the Authority."

To book a place, people need to email openmeeting@hfea.gov.uk before 5 May 2006.

Ends

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Notes to editors

Facts and figures:

• There are an estimated 50,000 couples with difficulty conceiving in Northern Ireland.
• Almost 800 patients had fertility treatment in Northern Ireland in 2002-03.
• In Northern Ireland, there are 2 HFEA licensed treatment  centres, both in Belfast.

The HFEA is the independent regulator for IVF treatment and embryo research. Our role is to protect patients and the public interest, to drive improvement in the treatment and research sectors and to provide information to the public and policymakers about treatment and research.

The HFEA was set up in August 1991 as part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The HFEA's principal tasks are to license and monitor clinics that carry out in vitro fertilisation (IVF), donor insemination (DI) and human embryo research. The HFEA also regulates the storage of gametes (eggs and sperm) and embryos.

For further information please contact the HFEA press office.

Page last updated: 11 March 2009

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