21st Century practice within 21st century regulation - New Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act comes into force

Online, November 18, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Changes which will come into effect with the new legislation include:

1. Increasing the length of time people can store their embryos
2. A 'cooling off' period if one partner withdraws consent for embryo storage
3. Extending information access rights for donor conceived people and donors
4. Opening the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's (HFEA) Register for research
5. Introducing supportive parenting into the welfare of the child provisions
6. Banning sex selection for non medical reasons
7. Clarifying the scope of embryo research

Chair of the HFEA Prof Lisa Jardine said:

"Fertility treatment and social attitudes have changed radically in the past 20 years and the law was ripe for an update. New and developing technologies mean that people who never dreamed they could have a child, now can. Scientists are carrying out research that was unthought of when the first act was drafted, but that is now helping us to better understand embryo development and genetic disease.

"The revised legislation will bring a new range of benefits. Donor conceived people and donors will have greater rights of access to information about their donor, their siblings or the children born as a result of their donation.

"Researchers will be able to access our Register, one of the oldest and most comprehensive sources of historical data on fertility treatment in the world. There is much we still do not know about the long term implications of fertility treatment and it is an area crying out for thorough investigation.

"As the regulator of fertility treatment and embryo research, we have to make decisions about issues that bring together ethics and health, science and family life, about complex technologies and innovative treatments. This new Act provides a clear framework for the future and a solid base on which to regulate 21st century practice within 21st century law."

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Notes to editors

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended) received Royal Assent on 13 November 2008.

The HFEA is making a series of changes to the way it regulates fertility clinics and embryo research centres, incorporating the new legislation. These changes include:
. A new Code of Practice
. Revised and updated consent forms
. A revised inspection and licensing process
. A new online service for patients - Choose a Fertility Clinic
Read more about the changes that are taking place on 1st October

The HFEA is the independent regulator for IVF treatment and embryo research. Our role is to protect patients and the public interest, to drive improvement in the treatment and research sectors and to provide information to the public and policymakers about treatment and research.

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), artificial insemination (AI) and human embryo research. The HFEA also regulates the storage of gametes (eggs and sperm) and embryos.