Last week the Department of Health published its response to the consultation on proposals to transfer functions from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Health Research Authority (HRA). The public consultation ran from June to September 2012.
Taking into consideration the opinions of the 4 main bodies directly affected by the proposals and other significant public and private sector organisations and individuals the Department of Health has decided that it will not pursue a transfer of functions at this time. It will however carry out an independent review of how both the HFEA and the HTA carry out their functions. This review will start immediately and report to ministers in April. Within the review, the Department of Health will seriously consider the feasibility of a merger of the two bodies.
