HFEA announces new Appeals Committee members and streamlined licensing arrangements

Paula Woodward

Progress Educational Trust

25 September 2009

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[BioNews, London]

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has today confirmed the members of its new Appeals Committee.

The chair and members of the Appeals Committee are not members of the Authority and will provide an impartial perspective.

The committee will form part of the regulator’s strengthened and streamlined process for considering licences for fertility clinics and embryo research centres. The changes come as a result of new powers granted to the Authority under the amended Human Fertilisation and Embryology 1990.

The seven member committee will be chaired by Mr Jonathan Watt-Pringle QC, a barrister practicing at the London Bar in general common law, concentrating on personal injuries, health and safety, clinical and professional negligence, coroners’ inquests and insurance. Deputy Chair will be Ms Hilary Newiss, an intellectual property lawyer who has served on a number of public bodies in the ethics, legal and scientific research field, including the Human Genetics Commission.

The other five members will be Ms Catharine Seddon, Mr Enda McVeigh, Mrs Jennifer Dunlop, Mr Kevin Artley and Ms Julia Drown. Biographies of all the Appeals Committee members are available on the HFEA website

Using new powers under the Act, the Authority has decided to delegate decisions on routine licensing matters to an Executive Licensing Panel from 1st October. The changes are part of the HFEA’s commitment to streamlining the process for managing licence applications to provide timely, consistent and high quality decision making.

Complex, novel or controversial issues, along with research applications, will continue to be considered by one of the Authority’s Licence Committees, composed of members of the Authority.

Further details of the Appeals Committee and the Executive Licensing Panel are available on the HFEA website

http://www.hfea.gov.uk/140.html

Reproduced with permission from BioNews, an email and online sources of news, information and comment on assisted reproduction and genetics.