News and press releases
Browse all the latest news and press releases from the HFEA.
2024 news and press releases
- 01/10/24 - The HFEA publishes annual ‘State of the Fertility Sector’ report
- 02/09/24 - HFEA launches National Patient Survey
- 18/07/24 - Fertility patients are starting treatment when chances of having a baby fall, says HFEA
- 12/07/24 - HFEA statement: Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Assisted Conception Unit
- 12/07/24 - HFEA statement: Homerton Fertility Centre
- 11/07/24 - HFEA wins prestigious award for data dashboard
- 04/07/24 - HFEA Statement: SCBEM Code of Practice
- 07/06/24 - HFEA statement: Netflix series ‘The Man With 1000 Kids’
- 15/05/24 - HFEA welcomes changes to the law on screening in fertility treatment
- 03/05/2024 - HFEA statement: Homerton Fertility Centre
- 02/05/2024 - Potential link between Assisted Reproduction Technologies and Leukaemia, new research suggests
- 13/03/24 - HFEA statement: Egg Freezing and Me
- 08/03/24 - HFEA statement: Homerton Fertility Centre
- 07/03/24 - HFEA launches new Media Centre
- 14/02/24 - Updated: HFEA statement: Incident at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Assisted Conception Unit
- 13/02/24 - HFEA statement: Incident at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Assisted Conception Unit
- 30/01/24 - HFEA launches new fertility data dashboard, thought to be the first of its kind in the world
- 22/01/24 - HFEA Authority Members re-appointed
2023 news and press releases
- 13/12/23 - Latest ethnic diversity data highlights disparities in treatment outcomes, UK regulator finds
- 06/12/23 - HFEA Chair, Julia Chain, on the HFEA’s law reform proposals – regulating for the future
- 23/11/23 - Independent review of the HFEA published: final report and recommendations
- 14/11/23 - ‘Now is the time for change’, says HFEA
- 30/10/23 - HFEA welcomes announcement on law changes to IVF provision in the UK
- 26/10/23 - The Code of Practice version 9.4 is now available
- 19/10/23 - UK fertility regulator launches improved ratings for fertility treatment ‘add-ons’
- 19/09/23 - Fresh plea from UK fertility regulator as monumental changes to donor anonymity law finally come to fruition
- 12/09/23 - The HFEA publishes annual ‘State of the Fertility Sector’ report
- 27/06/23 - More women having single embryo transfers during fertility treatment, Europe-wide study suggests
- 26/06/23 - Few women return to their frozen eggs, European study suggests
- 20/06/23 - Latest fertility data ‘paints promising picture’ but pandemic aftershocks may continue to be felt says UK regulator
- 10/05/2023 - Mitochondrial donation treatment
- 27/04/23 - Donors urged to update their contact details as UK fertility regulator anticipates hundreds of donor offspring requests
- 11/04/2023 - Secretary of State appoints new Member to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
- 28/02/23 - Fertility law needs modernising, says UK regulator
- 06/02/2023 - Fertility treatment does not adversely affect cardiovascular health of offspring, international study suggests
- 09/01/2023 - Less than four in 100 men accepted to be sperm donors, new research finds
2022 news and press releases
- 30/11/22 - Rise of egg and sperm donation ends heartache for thousands, says UK regulator
- 31/10/22 - HFEA responds to FNUK's patient survey
- 03/10/22 - The HFEA publish annual 'State of the Fertility Sector' report
- 23/09/22 - The HFEA responds to the CMA's report on fertility clinics’ compliance with consumer law
- 01/09/22 - The HFEA responds to new research showing link between frozen-thawed embryos and cancer
- 27/07/22 - HFEA respond to RCOG's Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) Green-top guideline consultation
- 26/07/22 - The HFEA respond to study about effects of fertility treatment on children’s development
- 20/07/22 - Women's Health Strategy paves the way for more inclusive and accessible fertility services
- 01/07/22 - New law comes into force giving greater flexibility for fertility patients
- 22/06/22 - Attitudes towards issues around fertility treatment and genomics in medicine revealed
- 17/06/22 - Lesley Regan appointed Women's Health Ambassador
- 17/05/22 - Fast Covid-19 recovery for fertility services but variation remains, reveals new report
- 19/04/22 - National Patient Survey report
- 31/03/2022 - HFEA responds to BBC Spotlight NI programme, ‘The Babymaker Uncovered’
- 23/03/22 - Secretary of State appoints new Members to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
- 08/02/22 - New HFEA report shows dramatic reduction in twin births from IVF
- 18/01/22 - HFEA Briefing - Health and Care Bill
- 08/01/22 - Fertility 2022 - Julia Chain, Chair of the HFEA
2021 news and press releases
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06/01/21 - The Framework agreement between the DHSC and the HFEA has been published
The Framework agreement between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has been published. This describes the working relationship between the DHSC and the HFEA.
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01/12/21 - The role of the regulator: UK perspectives
Julia Chair, HFEA Chair, has today delivered a speech. The HFEA is the first regulator of its kind in the world, and we are recognised as the global gold standard for innovative and effective regulation. While our 30th anniversary is a cause for celebration, it should also be a prompt for reflection.
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24/11/21 - Fertility treatment continues to become safer as serious incidents continue to fall
Fertility treatment is continuing to become safer with quality of care improving across UK clinics, despite the impact of the pandemic, according to the fertility regulator’s annual compliance report.
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02/11/21 - Regulator calls on fertility patients to help shape future UK fertility treatment
HFEA launches national patient survey as part of Fertility Awareness Week (1-5 November)
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27/10/21 - Update to the 9th edition Code of Practice is now available
This new version of the Code of Practice contains updated information and guidance for clinics.
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06/09/21 - HFEA responds to new gamete storage limit
This is great news for patients, giving them more time to make important decisions about family planning.
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05/08/21 - Join our new Patient Engagement Forum
We're building a new Patient Engagement Forum seeking views and experiences of fertility treatment.
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15/06/21 - Media statement from the HFEA in response to new BPAS Fertility report
We welcome this new report from BPAS Fertility. Our data confirms that fertility treatment is enabling more female same-sex couples to have a genetically linked family.
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10/06/21 - HFEA backs new consumer law and advertising guidance for IVF clinics
The fertility regulator, HFEA, backs new guidance from the Competition and Markets Authority addressing concerns over unclear pricing and misleading success rates.
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01/06/21 - HFEA response to the Women’s Health Strategy
This submission provides the formal response from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to the government’s open consultation on the Women's Health Strategy
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01/06/21 - New business plan for 2021-2022
We have published our new business plan for 2021-2022. This sets out how we will deliver our strategic vision of regulating for excellence: shaping the future of fertility care and treatment
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27/05/21 - IVF cycles surpass 1 million and UK fertility treatment is more successful than ever
30th anniversary report highlights advances in fertility treatment and care.
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18/05/21 - HFEA responds to concerns over treatment package deals
The HFEA responds to the Safe Campaign's concerns over fertility treatment package deals.
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19/04/21 - New HFEA Chair writes open letter to fertility patients
Julia Chain, Chair of the HFEA, has written an open letter to fertility patients to introduce herself as the new Chair.
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29/03/21 - HFEA @ 30 online event - past and present Authority members reflecting on the last 30 years
Watch the event with past and present Authority members discussing the last 30 years of the HFEA.
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23/03/21 - Fertility treatment less successful for ethnic minority patients, new figures reveal
We've published our new report 'Ethnic diversity in fertility treatment'.
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12/03/21 - Julia Chain appointed as new chair of the HFEA
We are delighted to welcome Julia Chain as the new Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
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05/02/21 - Study using HFEA data to understand the long term health of women and their babies after fertility treatment
Researchers at the University of Oxford are conducting a study to better understand the long term health of women and their babies after fertility treatment.
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22/01/21 - New members appointed to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
Find out who the new members of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are.
2020 news and press releases
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30/11/2020 - Fertility treatment continues to become safer as number of incidents fall in UK clinics
We have published our annual State of the Sector report.
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11/11/2020 - We have published our new business plan for the final six months of the current financial year.
We delayed publishing our business plan for the 2020/21 business year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, we published a plan for the final six months of the 2020/2021 business year from October 2020.
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03/11/20 - CMA launches draft guidance on consumer IVF law for consultation
Following engagement with the wider fertility sector, including the HFEA, the CMA has today launched its draft guidance for UK IVF clinics to ensure they are aware of their obligations under consumer protection law.
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14/10/2020 - Opening the Register (OTR) and Donor Sibling Link (DSL) services reopening
Following the suspension of the Opening the Register (OTR) and Donor Sibling Link (DSL) services in April 2020 we are pleased that from Tuesday 20 October 2020 we will be reopening for new applications.
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01/10/2020 - 2020-2024 strategy published
We have published our new strategy for 2020-2024. It outlines our vision, ambitions and objectives as an organisation for the upcoming years.
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22/09/2020 - New figures show how different people are using IVF
We have published our ‘Family formations in fertility treatment’ report, which looks at IVF and DI statistics for heterosexual, female same-sex and single patients in the UK.
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30/06/2020 - 2018 trends in fertility treatment
We have published our latest annual dataset Fertility Trends: ‘UK statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation’.
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13/05/2020 – Our response to the Department of Health and Social Care’s public consultation on gamete and embryo storage limits
We have submitted our response to the storage limit consultation calling for the Department of Health and Social Care to consider increasing the length of time patients can store their gametes and embryos.
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11/05/2020 - A second open letter to fertility patients - Sally Cheshire CBE, Chair HFEA
Coronavirus (COVID-19)and fertility treatment
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01/05/2020 - Reopening of fertility services
We are pleased to announce that a clear exit plan was agreed at our meeting of the board on 30 April 2020 and fertility clinics can apply to reopen in the week commencing 11 May 2020.
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25/03/2020 - Storage limit for frozen eggs, sperm and embryos extended during coronavirus outbreak
Anyone who has frozen their eggs, sperm and embryos will be able to extend their storage for an additional two years under new government plans to support those going through fertility treatment during the global coronavirus pandemic.
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23/03/2020 - An open letter to fertility patients - Sally Cheshire CBE, Chair HFEA
An open letter to all who are currently undergoing or were planning fertility treatment at this difficult time from our Chair, Sally Cheshire
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18/03/2020- HFEA business continuity in light of coronavirus (COVID-19)
With the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic, we have taken action to manage any implications of the outbreak on our work.
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11/03/2020 - Sally Cheshire CBE has been reappointed as HFEA Chair until 2021
We are pleased to announce that Sally Cheshire’s term as Chair of the Authority has been extended until March 2021.
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02/03/2020 - Department of Health and Social Care launches public consultation on gamete and embryo storage limits
Over the next 10 weeks we will be considering the regulatory issues surrounding the current 10-year statutory storage period for gametes and embryos, and formulating our response to this consultation.
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25/02/2020 - MoU with CMA
Memorandum of Understanding between the Competition and Markets Authority and Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority on consumer protection issues in the human fertilisation and embryology sector in the UK
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07/02/2020 - Launch of new project by the Competition and Markets Authority into the IVF sector
We are very pleased to be working with the Competition and Markets authority (CMA) on a new project to develop guidance for IVF clinics in the UK to make sure they treat their patients fairly.
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02/01/2020 - DNA tests are the Christmas gift that keeps on giving, but unexpected results can bring you more than you bargained for.
More people than ever want to find out about their genetic make-up and with our appetite to dive deep into our DNA and ancestry becoming increasingly popular, it’s not surprising that DIY DNA testing kits are on the Christmas list for many this year.
2019 news and press releases
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Holiday opening hours
Our hours will change over the holiday season.
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16/12/2019 - PGS rating now red following review
The rating to pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) for day five embryos has been changed from amber to red.
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16/12/2019 - Update to the 9th edition Code of Practice is now available
This new version of the Code of Practice contains updated information and guidance for clinics.
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Speech delivered by Sally Cheshire at the 2019 Progress Educational Trust Conference
Read the full speech delivered by our Chair, Sally Cheshire, at the 2019 Progress Educational Trust Annual Conference, on Regulating for the best patient treatment
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Updates to our Choose a Fertility Clinic tool
The Choose a Fertility Clinic tool on our website will undergo an update on Thursday 28 November as we refresh clinic data
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Fertility Week 2019
To mark this year’s Fertility Week, we’ve teamed up with the BBC to raise awareness of fertility issues.
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EU Exit
As the regulator of the fertility sector we continue to support clinics in their preparations ahead of EU exit.
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HFEA receive highly commended award
We are pleased to announce that our treatment add-ons information has been awarded ‘highly commended’ by the British Medical Association (BMA) at their 2019 Patient Information Awards.
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Rachel Cutting MBE has been appointed our new Director of Compliance and Information
We are pleased to announce that Rachel Cutting MBE has been appointed as our new Director of Compliance and Information. Rachel will begin with us on 11 November 2019.
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07/24/2019 - HFEA 2018-19 annual report and accounts
We have published our annual report and accounts for 2018-2019.
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Memorandum of Understanding between the Care Quality Commission and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
Care Quality Commission and HFEA update joint working principles
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New business plan for 2019 – 2020
We have published our new business plan for the current financial year. This sets out how we will deliver our strategic vision of high quality care for everyone affected by fertility treatment.
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New figures show low uptake of fertility treatment among BAME communities
More people in the UK are undergoing IVF, with the procedure becoming safer and more successful than ever, yet our new figures show that patients from an ethnic minority background only make up a small number of fertility patients overall.
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Zika virus guidance - current status as of May 2023
Patients or donors who have travelled or are planning to travel should speak to their clinic for possible Zika risk depending on the country they have travelled to/ are travelling to.
- 25/06/2019 - HFEA responds to top 10 infertility research priorities
- 23/05/2019 - HFEA launches commissioning guidance for fertility
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Our next corporate strategy 2020 to 2023
Our next corporate strategy 2020 to 2023
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02/01/2019 - New version of the Code of Practice has been launched
Our new version of the Code of Practice contains updated information and guidance for clinic staff to help them understand and comply with the legal requirements as a licensed clinic.
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11/04/2019 - HFEA responds to birth of ‘three-person baby’
Our response to the news of a three person baby being born in Greece.
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25/03/2019 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority welcomes new member Reverend Ermal Kirby to join the Authority on 1 May 2019
Reverend Ermal Kirby has been appointed as the newest Lay Member to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
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22/03/2019 - HFEA responds to Welfare for Women Bill
The Welfare for Women Bill is a piece of legislation currently going through parliament that will make a number of amendments to the HFE Act.
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21/03/2019 - HFEA pays tribute to Baroness Mary Warnock
It is with immense sadness that we learn of the death of Baroness Mary Warnock, whose 1984 report identified the need for principles and limits to govern fertility treatment and human embryo research.
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19/03/2019 - Donor Conceived Register contract awarded
Over the past few months we have been updating you on changes to the Donor Conceived Register (DCR).
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14/03/2019 - Fertility information day to help cut through ‘confusing and contradictory’ advice
We have teamed up with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) to host the first ever non-commercial fertility information event, after new figures from the RCOG show that many women struggle with confusing and contradictory fertility advice.
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21/02/2019 - Update on the Donor Conceived Register
In April 2018 the HFEA took over responsibility for the running of the Donor Conceived Register (DCR) and since then it has been delivered by the National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT).
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21/02/2019 - We're going to the Manchester Fertility Show
We’ll be attending the Manchester Fertility Show at Manchester Central Convention Complex on 23 –24 March 2019.
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14/02/2019 - Save the date: Fertility Forum on March 30
The Fertility Forum takes place on March 30 and aims to bring together the public and fertility professions for a day of talks, seminars and discussions for anyone affected by fertility issues.
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15/01/2019 - Fertility regulator calls for clinics to be more open about treatment add-ons
The HFEA, the UK fertility regulator, today calls for a change in how patients are offered optional fertility treatment add-ons.
2018 news and press releases
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20/12/2018 - Christmas opening hours
The HFEA office will be closed from 5pm on Friday 21 December to 9am on Thursday 27 December 2018 for the Christmas period and on Tuesday 1 January 2019.
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18/12/2018 - Our national patient survey results
Last year we launched the UK’s first ever national fertility patient survey, which gave the opportunity to anyone who had recently gone through fertility treatment in the UK in the last five years, and their partner, to share their experiences and help inform our policy and identify areas for improvement.
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14/12/2018 - Our state of the sector report - what it means for you
We recently launched our annual state of the fertility sector report, which details the performance of fertility clinics in the UK over the last year, as well as how they performed in accordance with our standards.
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13/12/2018 - New data reveals the UK fertility sector is performing well, and most patients are satisfied
The second annual state of the fertility sector report and the first ever national fertility patient survey, both published today, provide an overview of the UK’s fertility sector and what patients think of the services they receive.
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05/12/2018 - Speech delivered by Sally Cheshire at the 2018 Progress Educational Trust conference
Read the full speech delivered by our Chair Sally Cheshire at the 2018 Progress Educational Trust conference, that looks back at the legacy of the 2008 HFE Act.
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28/11/2018 - HFEA at the PET 2018 annual conference
Our Chair Sally Cheshire CBE will be one of the keynote speakers at this years Progress Educational Trust (PET) annual conference.
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19/11/2018 - Authority bids farewell to Andy Greenfield
Members of our board had their opportunity to bid farewell to Andy Greenfield as he attended his last Authority meeting.
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12/11/2018 - HFEA statement about treatment add ons
Read our statement from Peter Thompson, Chief Executive of the HFEA about treatment add ons
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29/10/2018 - HFEA supports Fertility Week
This week (29 October-4 November) is Fertility Week. The theme this year is ‘you are not alone’ and we’re helping to spread this message – we’re here to offer impartial, reliable information at every stage of your fertility journey.
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29/10/2018 - London Fertility Show 2018
The 2018 Fertility show takes place on the weekend of the 3 and 4 of November. With dozens of speakers, seminars and exhibitions, it’s a major event for anyone interested in finding out more about fertility treatment.
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9/10/18 - Latest statement on sex selection
Read our latest statement in relation to the Daily Mail investigation on sex selection.
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08/10/2018 - HFEA statement into Daily Mail investigation about sex selection
Read our statement into the Daily Mail investigation about sex selection.
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13/09/2018 - Debate on IVF at 40 in the House of Lords
The debate took place on Thursday 13th September 2018 in the House of Lords on the 40th anniversary of the first baby born using in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
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12/09/2018 - What you need to know about our new egg freezing report
Our new report on egg freezing shows that it’s rapidly emerging as a viable clinical technique to preserve a woman’s fertility. Crucially, the data shows that while a woman’s age at thaw has little impact on a woman’s chances of success, the age at freeze does.
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2018/09/12 - Press release: Age is the key factor for egg freezing success says new HFEA report, as overall treatment numbers remain low
Egg freezing is rapidly emerging as a viable clinical technique to preserve women’s fertility, as long as the eggs are frozen at a clinically optimum age, a new report from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) reveals today.
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31/08/2018 - Joint statement on the NGA multiple pregnancy report
Joint statement by the Multiple Births Foundation, British Fertility Society, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, Fertility Network UK and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, on the publication of the National Guideline Alliance report into the costs of multiple pregnancies.
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03/09/2018 - Have your say – our national fertility patient survey is open
There's just one week to go until our national fertility patient survey closes and we want anyone who has had fertility treatment and their partners, to take part.
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12/06/2018 - HFEA Zika virus guidance - current status as of August 2018
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has developed guidance on how to prevent Zika virus transmission through substances of human origin.
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14/08/2018 - The consultation on the new Donor Conceived Register (DCR) has been paused
Due to the withdrawal of one of the potential providers for the new Donor Conceived Register (DCR) we have taken the decision to pause the current consultation. We had hoped to implement a range of proposed improvements to the DCR but this will temporarily be put on hold to ensure that any future options are viable.
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25/07/2018 - IVF is 40: Margaret Gilmore delivers Speech to the Society for Reproduction and Fertility in Manchester
Margaret Gilmore, our Deputy Chair, delivered a speech at the Society for Reproduction and Fertility in Manchester to mark to the 40th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown.
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25/07/2018 - Happy birthday Louise Brown
Today we’re celebrating an important milestone in IVF – the 40th birthday of Louise Brown, the world’s first IVF baby.
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16/07/2018 - Colleagues say goodbye to long serving Authority member
At the June Authority meeting colleagues gathered to say good bye to The Rt Reverend Dr Lee Rayfield as he attended his last meeting after two terms as an Authority member.
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12/07/2018 - HFEA 2017-18 annual report and accounts
We have published our annual report and accounts for 2017-2018.
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11/07/2018 - IVF regulation: ensuring safe and ethical treatment
Forty years ago, Louise Brown was the first baby to be born from IVF treatment. The public’s reaction was divided. Some were proud that the UK had developed a new way of helping people have the families they longed for, but others were uneasy about the apparently uncontrolled advance of science, which brought with it new possibilities for manipulating the early stages of human development.
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05/07/2018 - New exhibition opens to celebrate 40 years of IVF
Celebrations have got underway to mark the 40th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown, the first IVF baby, with the opening of a special IVF-themed exhibition at the Science Museum.
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04/06/2018 - Science Museum announces the launch of exhibition celebrating 40 years of IVF
A new exhibition at the Science Museum opens on 5 July 2018 to mark to 40th birthday of IVF titled ‘IVF: 6 million babies later’.
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21/05/2018 - New business plan for 2018 – 2019
We have published our new business plan for the coming financial year. This sets out how we will deliver our strategic vision of high quality care for everyone affected by fertility treatment.
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11/05/2018 - New Regulations on importing gametes or embryos from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Gibraltar.
On 17th April 2018, we implemented a new EU Directive on the importation of sperm and eggs (“gametes”), and embryos, from outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Gibraltar.
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08/05/2018 - Frozen your eggs? We want to hear from you
We’re conducting research for an upcoming report on egg freezing and are keen to hear about people’s experiences.
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24/04/2018 - Consultation on changes to the HFEA Code of Practice now open for your comments
Today we are opening our new updated draft edition of the Code for consultation, until Friday 1 June.
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22/03/2018 - IVF treatment safer and more successful than ever before
Our new fertility trends report, launched 14 March, shows that on the 40th anniversary of IVF, the UK fertility sector has never been stronger.
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14/03/2018 - Press release: IVF treatment safer, more available and more successful than ever before, new report shows.
The UK fertility sector is at its strongest, 40 years after the first IVF child was born, official data reveals today. More people are having safe and successful treatment than ever before.
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09/02/2018 - Manchester Fertility Show 2018
We'll be attending the Manchester Fertility Show, being held from 24 - 25 March 2018 at the Manchester Central Convention Complex. The two day event brings together fertility experts, clinics and organisations, and features an extensive seminar programme.
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08/02/2018 - New leaflet for parents of donor-conceived children
Was your child conceived with the help of a donor? Are they curious to find out more about them? We’re here to provide that information and our new leaflet explains exactly what we can provide.
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02/02/2018 - Statement from HFEA Chair Sally Cheshire CBE regarding the RCOG report “multiple pregnancies following assisted reproduction”
Read our response to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ report on multiple pregnancies and births, which carry significant risks to both mother and child, and IVF funding.
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14/02/2018 - Coming soon – our latest fertility trends report
Our latest fertility trends report is due to be published on Thursday, 15 March.
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23/01/2018 - Read Rt. Hon. Frank Dobson’s Lecture on Lisa Jardine and the HFEA
Last November, the Rt. Hon. Frank Dobson delivered the annual Speaker’s Lecture at the Houses of Parliament dedicated to highly-esteemed former HFEA Chair Professor Lisa Jardine CBE.
2017 news and press releases
- 22/12/2017 - Our Chair Sally Cheshire receives her CBE
- 13/12/2017 - Press release state of the sector report
- 12/12/2017 - Christmas opening hours
- 04/12/2017 - Freedom of information responses now available
- 04/12/2017 - Progress Educational Trust's annual conference
- 27/11/2017 - Last week's Authority meeting
- 02/11/2017 - The UK reaches new milestones for fertility treatments
- 01/11/2017 - We've reached 4000 Twitter followers
- 30/10/2017 - We’ve launched a Facebook page
- 03/10/2017 - Our policies and information on fertility care for trans people
- 21/09/2017 - Genome editing research shows value of embryo donation
- 30/08/2017 - New fertility podcast episode
- 08/08/2017 - Your views are needed on the EU legislation on blood, tissues and cells
- 31/07/2017 - Our health and care information has achieved certification by The Information Standard
- 04/06/2017 - Treatment add ons survey
- 10/05/2017 - New Business Plan 2017 - 2018
- 02/05/2017 - HFEA statement regarding the Daily Mail investigation
- 06/04/2017 - We want to hear from you!
- 06/04/2017 - New Innovation Plan
- 06/04/2017 - HFEA update at the Contemporary Challenges in Fertility Nursing conference 2017
- 21/03/2017 - We're attending the Manchester Fertility Show
- 16/03/2017 - HFEA statement on mitochondrial donation
- 13/03/2017 - HFEA attending the next PET debate in London
- 16/01/2017 - Find out about the 18 January Authority meeting
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2016 news and press releases
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HFEA permits cautious use of mitochondrial donation in treatment, following advice from scientific experts
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has today approved the use of mitochondrial donation in certain, specific cases.
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UK's independent expert panel recommends "cautious adoption" of mitochondrial donation in treatment
The independent expert panel convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to undertake a review of mitochondrial donation techniques, has today recommended that those techniques be approved for “cautious” use in “specific circumstances”.
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HFEA statement on fertility treatment 'add-ons'
HFEA official response to BBC Panorama regarding fertility treatment 'add-ons'.
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Sally Cheshire is reappointed as HFEA Chair until 2020
We are pleased to announce that Sally Cheshire has been reappointed as our Chair for a further three years from 1 April 2017.
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New report shows IVF cycles are on the rise but few involve frozen eggs
Figures in our 2014 statistical report show a year on year increase in the number of IVF cycles, but the number of babies born from previously frozen eggs remains very low.
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New HFEA report
Incidents in fertility clinics are rare - they occur in less than one percent of the treatments performed in the UK fertility clinics – but each incident is one too many.
- Find out about our plans for 2016/17
- HFEA reconvenes independent expert panel and launches call for evidence
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01/02/2016 - HFEA approves licence application to use gene editing in research
Our Licence Committee has approved an application from Dr Kathy Niakan of the Francis Crick Institute to renew her laboratory’s research licence to include gene editing of embryos.
2015 news and press releases
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World first as mitochondrial donation regulations come into force
Today the UK becomes the first country to license ground breaking mitochondrial donation techniques which will allow women who carry the risk of serious mitochondrial disease to avoid passing it onto their children.
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Lisa Jardine, former Chair of the HFEA, passes away
It is with immense sadness that we learn of the death of Professor Lisa Jardine, our former Chair, who died on 25 October after a long battle with cancer.
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Find out how we can help you by visiting us at the Alternative Parenting Show
We are pleased to be taking part in this weekend’s alternative parenting show on Saturday 19 September at the Grand Connaught rooms in London.
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Press statement regarding legal parenthood cases
These hearings have no doubt been very stressful for the families involved and today’s judgment is clearly welcome news for them. They rightly assumed that legal parenthood was beyond doubt; finding out that it was not must have been very upsetting.
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New professional support service to help donors and the donor-conceived
We have launched a new professional support service for people affected by donation.
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New HFEA Authority member announced
The HFEA has today announced the official appointment of its newest Authority member.
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HFEA Chair opens new Manchester fertility suite
This week, HFEA Chair Sally Cheshire and Chief Inspector Debra Bloor opened the new fertility treatment suite at St Mary’s Reproductive Medicine Department.
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Statement on mitochondrial donation
The House of Lords has today approved regulations that will permit techniques designed to eradicate the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease from mother to child. This completes the process of parliamentary approval and the regulations will come into force from 29 October this year.
Review date: 22 January 2026