Human embryological material

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) licenses and monitors all human embryo research being conducted in the UK.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 requires the HFEA to regulate the creation, storage and use of embryos in research throughout the UK. The Act was amended in 2001 to allow the use of embryos for stem cell research and consequently the HFEA has the responsibility for regulating all embryonic stem cell research in the UK. This At was amedned again in 2008 and came into affect in April 2010
Under the Act, any research must relate to one or more of the following purposes:

To promote advances in the treatment of infertility
To increase knowledge about the causes of congenital diseases
To increase knowledge about the causes of miscarriage
To enhance knowledge in the development of more effective contraception
Detection of genetic or chromosomal abnormalities before implantation
To increase knowledge about the development of embryos
To increase knowledge about serious disease or to enable any such knowledge to be applied in developing treatment for serious disease

The procedures for obtaining a research licence is a five stage process and further information can b found on HFEA website http://www.hfea.gov.uk/1128.html