
Fertility Law Reform in the UK: What Needs to Change?
The government has tasked the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to review and make recommendations for fertility law reform in the UK. The HFEA hopes to reach an outline agreement with the Department for Health and Social Care before the end of 2022 on what needs to change. In doing so, the HFEA has identified three key areas of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 which are in need of reform to take better account of (1) patient protection, (2) scientific developments and (3) consent, data sharing and anonymity. However, there are still many complex issues which require careful thought and debate in terms of further fertility law reform in the UK. A balance needs to be struck which enables us to take greater account of ongoing rapid developments in science, medicine and reproductive technologies and the needs of patients, whilst at the same time does not deliver overly onerous and restrictive fertility law and governance in the UK moving forward.
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