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20
Oct
2020

The UK’s New National Genomic Healthcare Strategy, Genome UK

On 19 October 2020 BioNews published a comment piece by specialist fertility and family lawyer Louisa Ghevaert which assesses the UK government's new National Genomic Healthcare Strategy, Genome UK. Louisa explains that this genomic healthcare strategy does not go far enough in repositioning future healthcare strategy, policy and practice. By not fully articulating and integrating human reproduction and fertility treatment into future genomic healthcare strategy, Louisa explains that it does not represent a truly cohesive approach in setting our genomic healthcare strategy 'over the next ten years' and beyond.

05
Oct
2020

Latest trends in family formations through UK fertility treatment

The HFEA published its latest report on 22 September 2020 called “Family formations in fertility treatment 2018”. It gives valuable insight into the creation of modern family forms in the UK and an upbeat pre-pandemic picture of fertility treatment in 2018. However, the ongoing disruption, uncertainty and loss caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic continues to unfold around us and drive unprecedented and rapid levels of change. As such, this evolving picture creates complex issues and challenges in terms of the current and future management and navigation of fertility treatment and healthcare, as well as our ability to create and protect our families in 2020 and into the future.

02
Oct
2020

Egg Freezing and UK Law Reform

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics published a Briefing Note on Egg Freezing in the UK on 30 September 2020. It concludes that there are few arguments against increasing storage limits for social egg freezing in the UK and it coincides with the government’s ongoing review of gamete and embryo storage law. As such, it provides further impetus for reform of gamete and embryo storage law in the UK and it provides a helpful overview of key policy, social, and ethical issues. It also highlights the fact that the difference in storage limits between medical egg freezing and social egg freezing has been strongly criticised and it raises some important issues that need to be addressed moving forward.

22
Sep
2020

Human Genome Editing: World Health Organization and Global Governance

Nearly two years has passed since news broke of the world’s first gene-edited babies in China in November 2018, triggering a global outcry about the risks of human genome editing and the creation of ‘designer babies’. This swiftly led to the establishment of an Expert Advisory Committee on Human Genome Editing in February 2019 by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (‘the WHO’). This Expert Committee is expected to publish its final recommendations for global governance and regulation of human genome editing technology later this year and in doing so there are big issues to tackle.

10
Sep
2020

Human gene editing: from evolution to revolution? Why we need fertility and wider law reform part IV

On Thursday 3 September 2020, The International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing published its long awaited report. It was tasked with addressing the scientific considerations of human gene editing. It sets out a framework for scientists, clinicians, and regulatory authorities and states to consider when assessing potential clinical applications of human heritable genome editing (‘HHGE’).

24
Aug
2020

Ovarian rejuvenation: another option for a successful pregnancy?

An experimental technique known as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has recently attracted headlines as a potential fertility treatment to delay or even overcome the menopause and help women get pregnant. This follows results of a small pilot study conducted at the Genesis Athens Fertility Clinic in Greece from 2017 to 2019. However, large scale trials are required to gain more understanding about this technique.

21
Aug
2020

The global legal identity gap

In recent years legal identity has become an important and evolving issue in international policy circles. A legal identity helps ensure a child has access to justice and legal protections. However, legal identity is not defined in international law and this coupled with conflicting and discriminatory laws around the world, poverty and civil disruption results in a global legal identity gap. As such, there is growing understanding that more needs to be done and that legal identity extends beyond existing frameworks based on biology, legal parentage and ties with family and private life.

18
Aug
2020

Saving and storing your baby’s cord blood and tissue: is this a growing trend?

There is increasing uptake of cord blood and tissue banking in the UK. This is due to medical advances, growing awareness and rising numbers of parents who see this as having the potential to invest in their child’s long term health and provide a form of ‘biological insurance’.

14
Aug
2020

International surrogacy law reform: is this achievable?

The Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) is currently looking at the problem of ‘limping legal parentage’ in respect of children internationally, particularly in cases arising from cross-border surrogacy arrangements. Growing demand for surrogacy around the world and a lack of international harmonisation of surrogacy law and policy continues to affect the recognition of surrogate born children’s legal parentage.

12
Aug
2020

Legal aspects of known donor arrangements

There are a wide range of reasons why people to choose to become a known donor or conceive a child through known donation. Friendship, altruism, biological legacy, family narrative, personal situations and previous experiences can be important factors. A known donor arrangement creates a number of complex legal issues, implications and outcomes depending on the method of conception and wider circumstances.

10
Aug
2020

The IVF postcode lottery and law reform

Articles in the Sunday Times and Daily Mail yesterday (9 August 2020) report that fertility treatment policies on the NHS differ from region to region creating an IVF postcode lottery based on relationship status. They report that in some areas of England IVF patients are prevented from obtaining fertility treatment on the NHS unless they can prove they are in a 'stable' relationship. To make matters worse, CCGs define stability differently and this is creating confusion, frustration and distress.

31
Jul
2020

Later life parenthood: a fertility and family law perspective

Latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the number of women over 40 giving birth has risen to record levels in England and Wales. In contrast, fewer than one in 10 women aged between 25 and 30 had a baby last year. This growing trend in later life parenthood is driven by a number of factors and it is likely to intensify as a result of the continued global Covid-19 pandemic. It brings with it a range of complex legal, medical and wider issues.

In the News

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Articles & Publications

The latest news on fertility and modern family law

News & Commentary

Louisa discusses her opinion on different topics