How we develop policies

Key facts

• The HFEA's policy-making function is part of its general statutory duty to provide "advice and information" within the overall framework of the HFE Act 1990
• All HFEA policy making involves consulting with the sector we regulate, including professional bodies, patients and their representatives and other organisations interested in our work as well as specialist input through the HFEA's Ethics and Law Advisory Group (ELAG), the Scientific and Clinical Advances Group (SCAG) and the HFEA Horizon Scanning Expert Panel (HHSEP)
• The HFEA has been recognised by the National Consumer Council as an example of good practice in engaging with its stakeholders 

What is policy development?

• Working and consulting with patients, professionals and the public to develop thoroughly researched and evidence-based policies 
• Identifying and developing relevant, practical procedures that work for the sector we regulate 
• Developing guidance and standards to help treatment clinics and research centres meet their licence obligations

Why does policy development matter?

• It provides clarity and consistency to licensed centres, patients and others interested in our work about regulatory expectations, decision-making and approaches 
• It enables us to respond to changes in legislation, scientific knowledge, technology and societal attitudes 
• It allows us to engage with the sector and our other stakeholders to identify, develop and implement practical and relevant procedures

What is the role of the HFEA?

• We have a statutory responsibility to provide "advice and information" and a duty to produce a Code of Practice 
• The Code of Practice provides guidance for UK centres providing fertility treatment and carrying out human embryo research.
• We also collect performance data across the sector and use it to identify trends, benchmark performance and help raise standards

What we are doing

• As we deal with complex and sensitive issues, on which there is a wide spectrum of opinion,  we design and conduct public consultations which provide a forum for professionals, clinicians and our other stakeholders to engage in an informed debate
• We are currently developing policy to reduce the incidence of multiple births following IVF. We are working with patient groups, medical professional bodies and other government agencies to tackle the single biggest risk to mothers and their babies arising from assisted reproductive treatment 

Previous major reviews and consultations include:

• the ethical and social implications of creating human/animal embryos in research
• 'Donating eggs for research: safeguarding donors' - this gave members of the public an opportunity to share their views on whether egg donation for research should take place and, if so, how to best protect the donors
• collaborating with the professional bodies of the assisted conception sector, to draft a set of Standards for Assisted Conception Centres
• public attitudes to regulation in the UK
• 'Choices and Boundaries' - Should people be able to select embryos free from an inherited susceptibility to cancer?

Further information

• Read more information about our policy reviews and consultations.