Question
asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 23 October (WA 100), why they will not protect women's health and welfare by similarly restricting the types of human eggs that may be used in embryo research in either any future human fertilisation and embryology Bill or the Government’s response to the report from the Joint Committee on the Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill.
Answer
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) undertook a consultation in 2006 on the donation of eggs for HFEA licensed research projects. The HFEA concluded that the donation of eggs for research where the donor is not undergoing treatment herself, or where she is a patient who agrees to share some eggs for research, is acceptable provided that donation is with fully informed consent.