British Fertility Society response to the release of the Human Tissue and Embryos
(Draft) Bill
17 May 2007
Dr. Mark Hamilton, Chair of the British Fertility Society said:
“ The British Fertility Society welcomes the opportunity
to contribute to forthcoming discussions on the Human Tissue and
Embryos (Draft) Bill. Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology
Act is timely and the BFS has already made comment on specific
proposals as outlined within the White Paper (http://www.fertility.org.uk/news ).
The Society is anxious that any revised legislation does not
impose unnecessary burdens on patients and clinics involved in
fertility treatment. Reproduction is a very personal aspect of
our lives and any measure which intrudes on this privacy should
be resisted unless there is evidence of threat to the wellbeing
of the rest of society.
The incorporation of the HFEA into the new Regulatory Authority
for Tissues and Embryos (RATE) provides an opportunity to review
its functions and current practice. This should include a re-evaluation
of the costs of regulation to patients which currently are very
considerable and much greater than the costs of regulation in other
areas of health care. In addition, the role and accountability
of the regulator in developing policy and regulating research in
the IVF and stem cell arena should be re-evaluated, as well as
a determination on what elements of regulation require to be enshrined
in primary legislation rather than devolved to regulatory authority
control.
In considering the scope of the Draft Bill the BFS would encourage
parliamentary scrutiny of these key elements within the proposed
legislation and is keen to contribute to the debate.”
For more information: please contact the British Fertility Society press office
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