Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 – Wikipedia …

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It created the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which is in charge of human embryo research, along with monitoring and licensing fertility clinics in the United Kingdom.[1]

The Authority is composed of a chairman, a deputy chairman, and however many members are appointed by the UK Secretary of State. They are in charge of reviewing information about human embryos and subsequent development, provision of treatment services, and activities governed by the Act of 1990.[2] The Authority also offers information and advice to people seeking treatment, and to those who have donated gametes or embryos for purposes or activities covered in the Act of 1990. Some of the subjects under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act of 1990 are prohibitions in connection with gametes, embryos, and germ cells.[3] It also addresses licensing conditions, code of practice, and procedure of approval involving human embryos.[4] This only concerns human embryos which have reached the two cell zygote stage, at which they are considered fertilised in the act.[5] It also governs the keeping and using of human embryos, but only outside the womans body. The act contains amendments to UK law regarding termination of pregnancy, surrogacy and parental rights.[6]

The Human Fertilization and Embryology Act 1990 regulates ex-vivo human embryo creation and the research involving them. This act established the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to regulate treatment and research in the UK involving human embryos. In 2001, an extension of the HFEA act legalized embryo research for the purposes of increasing knowledge about the development of embryos, increasing knowledge about serious disease, and enabling any such knowledge to be applied in developing treatments for serious disease. The Human and Embryology Authority grants licenses and research permission for up to three years, based on approval of five steps by the Research License Committee. [7] HFEA policies are reviewed by specialists in the field regularly. After research and literature are reviewed, and open public meetings are held, the summarized information is presented to the Human Fertilisation Embryology Authority.

Policy under Review[8]

Past Policy Reviews[10] The policies reviewed by HFEA cover everything from human reproductive cloning to the creation of human-animal hybrids, and include subjects such as ethics with scientific and social significance.

Sperm, eggs and embryos are stored in liquid nitrogen using cryopreservation (defined as the freezing of cells or whole tissues to sub-zero temperaturesthe boiling point of liquid nitrogen).[17] This method preserves living organisms in a state where they can be restored to how they were before freezing.[18]

A cryoprotective compound (a liquid called cryopreservation medium), along with carefully controlled cooling and warming cycles ensure that minimal damage is done to the cells.[19]

[20] However, the freezing process is still somewhat damaging. Therefore, men wishing to donate sperm or have it stored for future use must make 6 sperm deposits for every 1 child they wish to have, due to the 50% survival rate of the sperm in each deposit.[21] The sperm is then put into straw shaped vials, and placed in a storage tank of either liquid nitrogen, or liquid nitrogen vapor. The sub-zero temperatures of the liquid generally range from -150 degrees Celsius, to -196 degrees Celsius. According to HFEA, the storage period for both human gametes and embryos cannot exceed 10 years.[22] HFEA requires a full informed consent from each party that has any relation to the egg, gametes, or embryo, all of which must be stored in accordance with their consents.[23]

Exceptions to the informed consent of gamete storage:

The act states that it is legal to "take" gametes or accept those provided, and store them without a person's consent, if the person is considered incapable, or until they "acquire such capacity."[28]

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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 - Wikipedia ...