UK Health Minister launches consultation on Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act

Main Category: Fertility
Article Date: 17 Aug 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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UK Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint today launched a wide ranging consultation on regulating the technology and techniques used to assist human reproduction.

The consultation will ask for views on a wide range of issues such as the rules governing screening and selecting embryos for medical purposes, the scope for a 'lighter touch' regulation of IVF and the best way to safeguard the welfare of a child born through assisted conception.

The move follows a government commitment in January 2004 to review and update the law. Advances in science mean that a range of new techniques, such as embryo screening and tissue typing, are now potentially available to patients whereas treatments that were once groundbreaking such as IVF are commonplace. The consultation will ask how the existing law might be amended to reflect these changes so that it strikes the right balance between reproductive freedom and responsibility whilst protecting the welfare of the child.

Launching the consultation, Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint said:

"The UK has led the way in developing the latest reproductive technologies and our system of regulation is admired across the world. The HFE Act was a landmark piece of legislation which has stood the test of time well. However, we never expected that the Act would remain forever unchanged in the face of major developments in science and medicine.

"The consultation raises many complex issues on which there are many different and strongly held views. There are important matters of reproductive freedom and responsibility, professional autonomy, and how best to safeguard the welfare of the children.

"This is the first time ever that we have publicly consulted on these issues and I very much hope that the public will help us tackle these vital questions so that we continue to reap the benefits of the latest scientific developments within a system that continues to inspire public confidence".

The Government has also today published its response to the House of Commons Science & Technology Committee's report on Human Reproductive Technologies and the Law which made recommendations on many of the issues raised in the Government's consultation document.

Related links

-- Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act: A public consultation
-- Assisted conception and embryology
-- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990

1. Printed copies of the consultation can be obtained from the DH Publications Orderline on 08701 555 455, quoting reference 269640 Review of the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act - A Public Consultation.

The closing date for responses is Friday 25 November.

2. The government announced a public consultation on the review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act in January 2004. The consultation document is designed to get the public and stakeholders engaged in the debate about how the law might be updated. The government will consider the responses to the consultation and publish draft proposals.

3. For media enquiries only please contact Vicky Wyatt on 020 7210 5656

4. For public enquiries please contact 020 7210 4850

Press release from the UK Dept of Health.

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