Consultation launched on amendments to reproductive technology code

A key proposal is removing legal limits on gamete and embryo storage for patients.

The Council on Human Reproductive Technology has launched a public consultation on proposed amendments to the ‘Code of Practice on Reproductive Technology & Embryo Research.'

A key proposed revision is the lifting of legal restrictions on the storage period for gametes or embryos for a patient’s use, regardless of gender, age, or medical conditions.

The council is also proposing updates to the code’s operational measures to ensure patients are fully aware of medical risks before opting for prolonged storage without medical necessity.

Licensed centres will be required to provide patients with information on egg-retrieval risks, fertility decline with age, risks associated with advanced maternal age, and the social implications of delayed childbearing.

Meanwhile, patients must sign a consent form confirming they have received this information.

Further changes include a requirement for centres to offer counselling to patients after a certain storage period. These facilities will also be required to submit additional statistical data for regulatory purposes.

The consultation will close on 13 April. Members of the public can submit their comments via email or post to the council secretariat.