Responses to the Human Tissues and Embryos (Draft) Bill

Whilst the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has welcomed the recent publication by the Department of Health of the Human Tissues and Embryos (Draft) Bill, the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) has been more qualified in its response.

Shirley Harrison, Chair of the HFEA, said:

"We welcome the Draft Tissues and Embryos Bill as a step forward towards a new clear framework for fertility regulation fit for the challenges of the 21st Century.

The HFEA has contributed extensively to the thinking behind this Draft Bill to ensure the lessons learned from the last 16 years of fertility regulation in the UK can be built in to any new legislation. The Authority will now consider all the proposals in the Bill in detail to assess them in the light of this experience."

BAAF's concerns relate to the rights of donor-conceived children to access information about their identity. BAAF is calling for:

An urgent review of how children born as a result of donor-assisted conception have their status reflected in official records. The charity believes there should be an official way – as there is in adoption – of recording every donor-conceived birth.
The introduction of compulsory information and preparation sessions for prospective parents. These sessions would help parents to think through why being open with children about their genetic identity really matters.

The Draft Bill is accessible at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegislation/DH_074718
and the responses referred to above at http://www.hfea.gov.uk/en/1528.html
http://www.baaf.org.uk/media/releases/070517_eng.shtml

21 May 2007

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