Regulating reproduction: the art of decision-making in ART

Fertility treatment in the UK takes place within a strict regulatory framework that represents the outcome of legislative decisions aimed at protecting the interests of both patients and the public, whilst maximizing the acceptable reproductive options available to them. The role and responsibilities of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are described and illustrated in the context of the complementary domains of the lawmakers on the one hand and clinicians on the other. The constitution of the HFEA - its multidisciplinary membership, internal committee structure and the function of its officers - is characterized as a mechanism that ensures that relevant perspectives inform its decision-making whilst guarding against the charge of partiality. Through the Code of Practice it produces and the licensing system it operates, the HFEA both protects and supports good clinical decision-making within the ART community.