The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is the UK’s regulator of fertility treatments and research using gametes and embryos. It ensures fertility treatments and research are safe and ethical. It licenses, monitors and inspects fertility clinics and provides free, clear and impartial information about the different fertility treatments and sperm and egg donation pathways available to people. It was established by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 following concerns about the implications and regulation of IVF. Its work and role continue to evolve in response to a changing scientific, legal and social landscape.
