Finsbury Tower
103 - 105 Bunhill Row
London
EC1Y 8HF

Tel: 020 7291 8200
Web: www.hfea.gov.uk

The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority's (HFEA) job is to license and monitor all clinics or centres carrying out fertility treatment such as IVF, artificial insemination and human embryo research to ensure that the principles of the HFE Act are upheld. They also regulate the storage of sperm, eggs and embryos.

To achieve this they:

• Create, update and enforce a code of practice which gives clear operational guidelines to fertility clinics.
• Keep a register of patients and the result of treatments they received, the details of any donor involved, and the children who are born.
• Inform and advise patients, donors and clinics about fertility treatments and the issues they raise.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field of embryo and reproductive research to ensure any progress made is in everyone's best interests before it is adopted.

The HFEA produces a wide range of information on a range of different infertility treatments, as well as on legal issues, how to make a complaint, etc. They publish a comprehensive guide to infertility clinics which is available free of charge, and there is an interactive version available via the HFEA website.

The HFEA website also has a 'Choose a fertility clinic' search tool - http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/ - which allows people to search for clinics in their location and see success rates and the different services they offer. It is designed to help them make informed choices.