Policy is an important focus of our work. PET has a well-established reputation in policy circles, for championing the responsible application of science.
In 2022 PET successfully campaigned to change the law to extend the limit for which women could legally freeze their eggs.
As a result of our #ExtendTheLimit campaign women who freeze their eggs can now store them for up to 55 years.
This is one example of how we seek to influence the development of policy so that it is better aligned with science, reflects the best interests of patient and public communities, and keeps pace with change. Professionals can then work confidently within an appropriately regulated environment.
We do this by:
Producing timely events, which bring together a range of interested parties with expertise in a topic to discuss their views, and to field questions from the public and from peers.
Publishing a range of opinion in the comment section of BioNews.
Meeting with Ministers, with members of both Houses of Parliament, with regulators (including the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority), and with officials in Government Departments (including the Department of Health and Social Care).
Brokering relationships between stakeholder groups and relevant figures in policy and regulation, helping them to better understand one another's point of view and concerns.
Engaging with the media.
Responding to consultations and calls for evidence.
In our early years, our focus was passing and then implementing the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. We subsequently played a pivotal role in the formulation and implementation of amendments to this legislation, which resulted in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008.
PET helped coordinate strategy among professional bodies, patient groups and other organisations with an interest in the changes to the Act, via a strategy group chaired by our Director Sarah Norcross. This work was integral in keeping lines of communication open between the key scientific players, politicians, policymakers and journalists.
During this time, we were instrumental in changing the law to improve access to fertility treatment for people in same-sex relationships and single women. Previously, clinics had to consider the 'need for a father' before allowing someone to undergo fertility treatment. When the legislation was reviewed, we produced a public debate in the Houses of Parliament shortly before the vote, and we wrote briefings for Parliamentarians to use in debates on relevant amendments. This work led to the words 'need for a father' being removed from the legislation.
Since then, PET has undertaken a wide range of policy work.
In January 2011, we facilitated debate around the government's proposal to abolish the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. More than 300 people attended our debate 'The End of the HFEA: Are We Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater?' at the Royal Society, making this one of our most successful events. We followed this up by brokering meetings with key stakeholders, responding to a public consultation, and producing a follow-up event in 2012 entitled 'Quangoing, Going, Gone: What Should Happen to the HFEA?'.
From 2014 onwards, we produced a series of events for Genomics England, to explore the benefits and challenges of the Government's project to sequence 100,000 genomes. This led to us producing the public launch of the Chief Medical Officer's report Generation Genome, which in turn initiated our series of professionally filmed 'Genomics Conversation' events.
We became further involved in genomics policy when our Director Sarah Norcross joined the Oversight Group for the genomics public dialogue project 'Time for a New Social Contract?', and when our Deputy Director Sandy Starr joined the 'GP Genomics' Steering Group seeking to facilitate the use of genomic data in general practice and primary care.
In 2017, Sandy Starr gave oral evidence to a Select Committee in Parliament, arguing that Parliamentarians should explore the case for extending the 14-day limit on human embryo research.
Projects
The themes of PET's own projects have been wide-ranging, including our pioneering work on 'Basic Understanding of Genome Editing' (conducted jointly with the charity Genetic Alliance UK) and projects on topics as diverse as donor conception, breast cancer and autism.
Members of our team have been advisers on other organisations' projects, such as De Montfort University's 'Egg Donation in the UK, Belgium and Spain: An Interdisciplinary Study' and the University of Manchester's 'Curious Connections: The Impact of Donating Egg and Sperm on Donors' Everyday Life and Relationships', as well as advising on (what was at the time) the world's largest autism research project.
Some of our public events have formed part of external projects, such as our event 'Anonymous No More? Donor Conception and Direct-to-Consumer DNA Testing', which contributed to research conducted by the University of Liverpool.
Our project work is subject to funding, and we are always interested in collaborating with other organisations on projects. If you would like to propose such a collaboration, please contact us.
Some of the resources and documents produced in the course of our policy and project work can be found here.
