HFEA statement on reform of fertility regulation
10 December 2004
Suzi Leather, Chair of the HFEA, said
"We are keen to see an updated framework for fertility regulation and first called for the reform of the legislation that governs our work – the1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act – more than 18 months ago.
"The Department of Health asked us to suggest the changes needed in the law and we have been actively contributing to the debate about the future framework to protect the interests of patients and the wider public.
"The 1990 Act has served us well over the past 14 years. This regulatory system, with the HFEA at its centre, has given patients and the wider public confidence in our fertility services and this has in turn has allowed research activity to flourish.
"The public would be deeply concerned if such a sensitive and controversial area was not properly regulated. Across the world, countries are following the UK's example by copying the HFEA style of regulation, with similar regulators being set up in France, Canada and parts of Australia.
"Yesterday's report by the Shipman Inquiry highlighted the flaws in professional self regulation by doctors and the idea that regulation should be abandoned completely is extraordinary.
"Over the last 14 years, the UK has become a world leader in reproductive technologies with both researchers and patients flocking to the UK.
"However the pace of scientific advance has outstripped the legislation and this gap is making decision making more complex, particularly with cases at the forefront of new technologies. While we have been waiting for reform of the law, we have been modernising our own internal processes, keeping ahead of the science and reducing the burden of regulation.
"The renewed political consensus that new legislation would bring would provide increased stability for our decision making process and help patients by streamlining and speeding up this process."
Ends
Notes to editors
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 August 2011