March

 2005-03-01: Further detail on the application for a research licence from the Roslin Institute (RO158) to derive human embryonic stem cell lines by cell nuclear transfer for technology development and the study of Motor Neuron Disease (see also the entry for 11 February 2005 in the FOI Disclosure Log).

As part of the application procedure, Centres are asked to indicate the estimated numbers of oocytes and embryos that they expect to use during the period of the licence. Professor Wilmut, the Person Responsible for the above research licence, has stated that he expects to use 400 oocytes in the 12 months for which the licence is valid. Of these, 50 will be fresh oocytes and 350 will be failed to fertilise oocytes. It is a condition of this licence that Professor Wilmut submits a progress report following the first 6 months of the licence and this will include details of the number of oocytes actually used in the project of research. This report will then be submitted to a Research Licence Committee for consideration thus enabling the continued monitoring of the use of embryos for research.

2005-03-02: Detail relating to the award of research licences by the HFEA and the current use of embryos in research.

The HFEA may only grant a research licence if it is satisfied that the activities that are to be licensed are necessary or desirable for the purposes set out in Schedule 2 to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology [Research Purposes] Regulations 2001) and that any proposed use of embryos is necessary for the purpose of the research (Paragraph 3(2)(6) of Schedule 2 to the HF&E Act 1990). The HFEA currently licenses 30 projects of research. Of these, 27 use surplus (spare) embryos; 2 also create embryos under the licence and 2 parthenogenetically activate embryos under the licence. The number of projects which parthenogenetically activate embryos is 4 and the number of projects which create embryos is 4. The HFEA has also licensed two projects that authorise the creation of embryos by Cell Nuclear Replacement.

2005-03-07: Copy of Licence Committee Minutes from a meeting held on 25 October 2002 to recognise the appointment of a new Person Responsible at the Leeds General Infirmary.

2005-03-10: Copy of a May 2002 Ethics Committee paper and annex in which the issue of creating embryos for research was discussed. The applicant was also guided to the House of Lords Select Committee report on stem cell research and the Warnock Report, as well as a newspaper article by Clive Cookson (Financial Times, 26 April 2002, p.4).

2005-03-10: Copy of the Ethics Committee's consideration of the ethical issues in the creation and selection of preimplantation embryos to produce tissue donors.

2005-03-21: Statistics relating to the use of embryos in research: Information obtained by the HFEA from licensed fertility clinics suggests that approximately 370 embryos have been created for research purposes since 1991. Between 1991 and 2004, 78,505 embryos were donated for research purposes. We would like to emphasise that these are approximate figures and may be subject to change in the future. Data held by the HFEA is currently being audited to improve the accuracy of the information available, and is likely to be subject to future amendment following the completion of the HFEA's modernisation programme in March 2006.

2005-03-22: Recent inspection reports for clinics in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Nottingham.