The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) was set up in 1991 and comprises members (the majority of whom are clinicians, researchers or other fertility / embryology professionals) and a lay chair.   The Authority oversees a staff which licenses and inspects fertility clinics in the UK.

In the UK, you need a licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to:

• Provide medical treatment involving human embryos, eggs or sperm
• Create human embryos (or conduct testing or research on them)
• Store human eggs, sperm or embryos
• Collect human eggs or sperm for donation