News and press releases

The Framework agreement between the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has been published. This describes the working relationship between the DHSC and the HFEA.

Julia Chair, HFEA Chair, has today delivered a speech. The HFEA is the first regulator of its kind in the world, and we are recognised as the global gold standard for innovative and effective regulation. While our 30th anniversary is a cause for celebration, it should also be a prompt for reflection.

Fertility treatment is continuing to become safer with quality of care improving across UK clinics, despite the impact of the pandemic, according to the fertility regulator’s annual compliance report.

HFEA launches national patient survey as part of Fertility Awareness Week (1-5 November)

This new version of the Code of Practice contains updated information and guidance for clinics.

This is great news for patients, giving them more time to make important decisions about family planning.

We're building a new Patient Engagement Forum seeking views and experiences of fertility treatment.

We welcome this new report from BPAS Fertility. Our data confirms that fertility treatment is enabling more female same-sex couples to have a genetically linked family.

The fertility regulator, HFEA, backs new guidance from the Competition and Markets Authority addressing concerns over unclear pricing and misleading success rates.

This submission provides the formal response from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to the government’s open consultation on the Women's Health Strategy

We have published our new business plan for 2021-2022. This sets out how we will deliver our strategic vision of regulating for excellence: shaping the future of fertility care and treatment

30th anniversary report highlights advances in fertility treatment and care.

The HFEA responds to the Safe Campaign's concerns over fertility treatment package deals.

Julia Chain, Chair of the HFEA, has written an open letter to fertility patients to introduce herself as the new Chair.

Watch the event with past and present Authority members discussing the last 30 years of the HFEA.

We've published our new report 'Ethnic diversity in fertility treatment'.

We are delighted to welcome Julia Chain as the new Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

Researchers at the University of Oxford are conducting a study to better understand the long term health of women and their babies after fertility treatment.

Find out who the new members of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are.

We have published our annual State of the Sector report.

We delayed publishing our business plan for the 2020/21 business year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, we published a plan for the final six months of the 2020/2021 business year from October 2020.

Following engagement with the wider fertility sector, including the HFEA, the CMA has today launched its draft guidance for UK IVF clinics to ensure they are aware of their obligations under consumer protection law.

Following the suspension of the Opening the Register (OTR) and Donor Sibling Link (DSL) services in April 2020 we are pleased that from Tuesday 20 October 2020 we will be reopening for new applications.

We have published our new strategy for 2020-2024. It outlines our vision, ambitions and objectives as an organisation for the upcoming years.

We have published our ‘Family formations in fertility treatment’ report, which looks at IVF and DI statistics for heterosexual, female same-sex and single patients in the UK.

We have published our latest annual dataset Fertility Trends: ‘UK statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation’.

We have submitted our response to the storage limit consultation calling for the Department of Health and Social Care to consider increasing the length of time patients can store their gametes and embryos.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)and fertility treatment

We are pleased to announce that a clear exit plan was agreed at our meeting of the board on 30 April 2020 and fertility clinics can apply to reopen in the week commencing 11 May 2020.

Anyone who has frozen their eggs, sperm and embryos will be able to extend their storage for an additional two years under new government plans to support those going through fertility treatment during the global coronavirus pandemic.

An open letter to all who are currently undergoing or were planning fertility treatment at this difficult time from our Chair, Sally Cheshire

With the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic, we have taken action to manage any implications of the outbreak on our work.

We are pleased to announce that Sally Cheshire’s term as Chair of the Authority has been extended until March 2021.

Over the next 10 weeks we will be considering the regulatory issues surrounding the current 10-year statutory storage period for gametes and embryos, and formulating our response to this consultation.

Memorandum of Understanding between the Competition and Markets Authority and Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority on consumer protection issues in the human fertilisation and embryology sector in the UK

We are very pleased to be working with the Competition and Markets authority (CMA) on a new project to develop guidance for IVF clinics in the UK to make sure they treat their patients fairly.

More people than ever want to find out about their genetic make-up and with our appetite to dive deep into our DNA and ancestry becoming increasingly popular, it’s not surprising that DIY DNA testing kits are on the Christmas list for many this year.

Our hours will change over the holiday season.

The rating to pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) for day five embryos has been changed from amber to red.

This new version of the Code of Practice contains updated information and guidance for clinics.

Read the full speech delivered by our Chair, Sally Cheshire, at the 2019 Progress Educational Trust Annual Conference, on Regulating for the best patient treatment

The Choose a Fertility Clinic tool on our website will undergo an update on Thursday 28 November as we refresh clinic data

To mark this year’s Fertility Week, we’ve teamed up with the BBC to raise awareness of fertility issues.

As the regulator of the fertility sector we continue to support clinics in their preparations ahead of EU exit.

We are pleased to announce that our treatment add-ons information has been awarded ‘highly commended’ by the British Medical Association (BMA) at their 2019 Patient Information Awards.

We are pleased to announce that Rachel Cutting MBE has been appointed as our new Director of Compliance and Information. Rachel will begin with us on 11 November 2019.

We have published our annual report and accounts for 2018-2019.

Care Quality Commission and HFEA update joint working principles

We have published our new business plan for the current financial year. This sets out how we will deliver our strategic vision of high quality care for everyone affected by fertility treatment.

More people in the UK are undergoing IVF, with the procedure becoming safer and more successful than ever, yet our new figures show that patients from an ethnic minority background only make up a small number of fertility patients overall.

Patients or donors who have travelled or are planning to travel should speak to their clinic for possible Zika risk depending on the country they have travelled to/ are travelling to.

Our next corporate strategy 2020 to 2023

Our new version of the Code of Practice contains updated information and guidance for clinic staff to help them understand and comply with the legal requirements as a licensed clinic.

Our response to the news of a three person baby being born in Greece.

Reverend Ermal Kirby has been appointed as the newest Lay Member to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

The Welfare for Women Bill is a piece of legislation currently going through parliament that will make a number of amendments to the HFE Act.

It is with immense sadness that we learn of the death of Baroness Mary Warnock, whose 1984 report identified the need for principles and limits to govern fertility treatment and human embryo research.

Over the past few months we have been updating you on changes to the Donor Conceived Register (DCR).

We have teamed up with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) to host the first ever non-commercial fertility information event, after new figures from the RCOG show that many women struggle with confusing and contradictory fertility advice.

In April 2018 the HFEA took over responsibility for the running of the Donor Conceived Register (DCR) and since then it has been delivered by the National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT).

We’ll be attending the Manchester Fertility Show at Manchester Central Convention Complex on 23 –24 March 2019.

The Fertility Forum takes place on March 30 and aims to bring together the public and fertility professions for a day of talks, seminars and discussions for anyone affected by fertility issues.

The HFEA, the UK fertility regulator, today calls for a change in how patients are offered optional fertility treatment add-ons.

The HFEA office will be closed from 5pm on Friday 21 December to 9am on Thursday 27 December 2018 for the Christmas period and on Tuesday 1 January 2019.

Last year we launched the UK’s first ever national fertility patient survey, which gave the opportunity to anyone who had recently gone through fertility treatment in the UK in the last five years, and their partner, to share their experiences and help inform our policy and identify areas for improvement.

We recently launched our annual state of the fertility sector report, which details the performance of fertility clinics in the UK over the last year, as well as how they performed in accordance with our standards.

The second annual state of the fertility sector report and the first ever national fertility patient survey, both published today, provide an overview of the UK’s fertility sector and what patients think of the services they receive.

Read the full speech delivered by our Chair Sally Cheshire at the 2018 Progress Educational Trust conference, that looks back at the legacy of the 2008 HFE Act.

Our Chair Sally Cheshire CBE will be one of the keynote speakers at this years Progress Educational Trust (PET) annual conference.

Members of our board had their opportunity to bid farewell to Andy Greenfield as he attended his last Authority meeting.

Read our statement from Peter Thompson, Chief Executive of the HFEA about treatment add ons

This week (29 October-4 November) is Fertility Week. The theme this year is ‘you are not alone’ and we’re helping to spread this message – we’re here to offer impartial, reliable information at every stage of your fertility journey.

The 2018 Fertility show takes place on the weekend of the 3 and 4 of November. With dozens of speakers, seminars and exhibitions, it’s a major event for anyone interested in finding out more about fertility treatment.

Read our latest statement in relation to the Daily Mail investigation on sex selection.

Read our statement into the Daily Mail investigation about sex selection.

The debate took place on Thursday 13th September 2018 in the House of Lords on the 40th anniversary of the first baby born using in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

Our new report on egg freezing shows that it’s rapidly emerging as a viable clinical technique to preserve a woman’s fertility. Crucially, the data shows that while a woman’s age at thaw has little impact on a woman’s chances of success, the age at freeze does.

Egg freezing is rapidly emerging as a viable clinical technique to preserve women’s fertility, as long as the eggs are frozen at a clinically optimum age, a new report from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) reveals today.

Joint statement by the Multiple Births Foundation, British Fertility Society, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, Fertility Network UK and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, on the publication of the National Guideline Alliance report into the costs of multiple pregnancies.

There's just one week to go until our national fertility patient survey closes and we want anyone who has had fertility treatment and their partners, to take part.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has developed guidance on how to prevent Zika virus transmission through substances of human origin.

Due to the withdrawal of one of the potential providers for the new Donor Conceived Register (DCR) we have taken the decision to pause the current consultation. We had hoped to implement a range of proposed improvements to the DCR but this will temporarily be put on hold to ensure that any future options are viable.

Margaret Gilmore, our Deputy Chair, delivered a speech at the Society for Reproduction and Fertility in Manchester to mark to the 40th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown.

Today we’re celebrating an important milestone in IVF – the 40th birthday of Louise Brown, the world’s first IVF baby.

At the June Authority meeting colleagues gathered to say good bye to The Rt Reverend Dr Lee Rayfield as he attended his last meeting after two terms as an Authority member.

We have published our annual report and accounts for 2017-2018.

Forty years ago, Louise Brown was the first baby to be born from IVF treatment. The public’s reaction was divided. Some were proud that the UK had developed a new way of helping people have the families they longed for, but others were uneasy about the apparently uncontrolled advance of science, which brought with it new possibilities for manipulating the early stages of human development.

Celebrations have got underway to mark the 40th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown, the first IVF baby, with the opening of a special IVF-themed exhibition at the Science Museum.

A new exhibition at the Science Museum opens on 5 July 2018 to mark to 40th birthday of IVF titled ‘IVF: 6 million babies later’.

We have published our new business plan for the coming financial year. This sets out how we will deliver our strategic vision of high quality care for everyone affected by fertility treatment.

On 17th April 2018, we implemented a new EU Directive on the importation of sperm and eggs (“gametes”), and embryos, from outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Gibraltar.

We’re conducting research for an upcoming report on egg freezing and are keen to hear about people’s experiences.

Today we are opening our new updated draft edition of the Code for consultation, until Friday 1 June.

Our new fertility trends report, launched 14 March, shows that on the 40th anniversary of IVF, the UK fertility sector has never been stronger.

The UK fertility sector is at its strongest, 40 years after the first IVF child was born, official data reveals today. More people are having safe and successful treatment than ever before.

We'll be attending the Manchester Fertility Show, being held from 24 - 25 March 2018 at the Manchester Central Convention Complex. The two day event brings together fertility experts, clinics and organisations, and features an extensive seminar programme.

Was your child conceived with the help of a donor? Are they curious to find out more about them? We’re here to provide that information and our new leaflet explains exactly what we can provide.

Read our response to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ report on multiple pregnancies and births, which carry significant risks to both mother and child, and IVF funding.

Our latest fertility trends report is due to be published on Thursday, 15 March.

Last November, the Rt. Hon. Frank Dobson delivered the annual Speaker’s Lecture at the Houses of Parliament dedicated to highly-esteemed former HFEA Chair Professor Lisa Jardine CBE.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has today approved the use of mitochondrial donation in certain, specific cases.

The independent expert panel convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to undertake a review of mitochondrial donation techniques, has today recommended that those techniques be approved for “cautious” use in “specific circumstances”.

HFEA official response to BBC Panorama regarding fertility treatment 'add-ons'.

We are pleased to announce that Sally Cheshire has been reappointed as our Chair for a further three years from 1 April 2017.

Figures in our 2014 statistical report show a year on year increase in the number of IVF cycles, but the number of babies born from previously frozen eggs remains very low.

Incidents in fertility clinics are rare - they occur in less than one percent of the treatments performed in the UK fertility clinics – but each incident is one too many.

Our Licence Committee has approved an application from Dr Kathy Niakan of the Francis Crick Institute to renew her laboratory’s research licence to include gene editing of embryos.

Today the UK becomes the first country to license ground breaking mitochondrial donation techniques which will allow women who carry the risk of serious mitochondrial disease to avoid passing it onto their children.

It is with immense sadness that we learn of the death of Professor Lisa Jardine, our former Chair, who died on 25 October after a long battle with cancer.

We are pleased to be taking part in this weekend’s alternative parenting show on Saturday 19 September at the Grand Connaught rooms in London.

These hearings have no doubt been very stressful for the families involved and today’s judgment is clearly welcome news for them. They rightly assumed that legal parenthood was beyond doubt; finding out that it was not must have been very upsetting.

We have launched a new professional support service for people affected by donation.

The HFEA has today announced the official appointment of its newest Authority member.

This week, HFEA Chair Sally Cheshire and Chief Inspector Debra Bloor opened the new fertility treatment suite at St Mary’s Reproductive Medicine Department.

The House of Lords has today approved regulations that will permit techniques designed to eradicate the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease from mother to child. This completes the process of parliamentary approval and the regulations will come into force from 29 October this year.