The Warnock report and partial ectogestation: retracing the past to step into the future

Partial ectogestation continues to move towards human clinical trials. This article draws upon the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Warnock Report) to provide guidance as to what may need to be considered for the future regulation of this technology. While the Warnock Report dates back to 1984, its significance and legacy continue to influence the current regulation of reproductive practices in the UK. By drawing upon specific elements within the report, many of the decisions and recommendations within it could provide direction for the future regulation of partial ectogestation. The role of the public, the social and political context at the time of the Warnock report, the determination of the status of the embryo, and arguments pitted against in vitro fertilisation (IVF) at the time, are all examined. As a result, this article suggests that the inclusion of the general public in the development and implementation of partial ectogestation prior to another Warnock-style inquiry will increase the success of long-standing regulatory and legislative provisions.