Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008

Withdrawal of consent to storage: notification of interested persons U.K.

7 U.K. After paragraph 4 insert—

“4A (1) This paragraph applies where—

(a) a permitted embryo, the creation of which was brought about in vitro, is in storage,

(b) it was created for use in providing treatment services,

(c) before it is used in providing treatment services, one of the persons whose gametes were used to bring about its creation (“P”) gives the person keeping the embryo notice withdrawing P's consent to the storage of the embryo, and

(d) the embryo was not to be used in providing treatment services to P alone.

(2) The person keeping the embryo must as soon as possible take all reasonable steps to notify each interested person in relation to the embryo of P's withdrawal of consent.

(3) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2), a person is an interested person in relation to an embryo if the embryo was to be used in providing treatment services to that person.

(4) Storage of the embryo remains lawful until—

(a) the end of the period of 12 months beginning with the day on which the notice mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) was received from P, or

(b) if, before the end of that period, the person keeping the embryo receives a notice from each person notified of P's withdrawal under sub-paragraph (2) stating that the person consents to the destruction of the embryo, the time at which the last of those notices is received.

(5) The reference in sub-paragraph (1)(a) to a permitted embryo is to be read in accordance with section 3ZA.”