The HFEA maintains the national Register of treatments. The Register does not contain any genetic details beyond the identity of those who receive treatments licensed by the HFEA, and the identity of those who provided gametes used in the production of embryos. The availability and use of this information is strictly controlled under the HFE Act. Under the Act disclosing identifying information, except in very limited circumstances, is a criminal offence (identifying information would almost certainly encompass some if not all of any genetic information about individuals identified on the Register). Access to this information, both within the HFEA itself and within licensed clinics, is very tightly controlled.

  Bearing in mind the purpose of the Register, currently the HFEA have no plans to include detailed genetic information on the Register.

Ruth Deech
Chairman

20 September 2000