HFEA publishes twelfth Annual Report and Accounts
14 November 2003
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has published its twelfth Annual Report and Accounts which were laid before Parliament this week.
This year's report focuses on the many improvements that have been made at the HFEA, and also on the challenges that lie ahead.
Introducing the Annual Report, Chief Executive Angela McNab said:
"We have placed particular emphasis on further developing our inspection and licensing processes for both treatment and research. This has involved a programme of actions including training and evaluating inspectors and adopting more objective tools for inspections."
This year also sees the introduction of a new Incident Alert System. The alert provides all HFEA licensed clinics with an early warning of major clinical incidents to share learning and reduce the risk of similar incidents occurring. The aim is to improve good practice across the field.
The HFEA is making major changes to the Code of Practice after consultation with clinicians, professional groups and patient groups. The 6th Code of Practice will include new policy on embryo transfer, egg sharing and adverse incidents. The Code will also incorporate new sections on preimplantation genetic testing, and witnessing of clinical laboratory procedures.
The HFEA's latest Annual Report covers the Authority's work from 1 November 2002 to 1 November 2003.
Ends
Notes to editors
Copies of the HFEA's Twelfth Annual Report and Accounts are available on the HFEA website
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.
Page last updated: 12 March 2009
The HFEA operates within a fast-moving, complex and ethically challenging area