Professor Nick Hopwood to chair Oversight Group of national public dialogue reviewing the 14-day rule for human embryo research
Hopwood, Professor of History of Science and Medicine, will lead an independent group comprising experts from a broad range of fields including embryology, ethics, law, and diversity and inclusion.
The UK-based dialogue will be run by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, in partnership with UKRI Sciencewise, and will seek to understand public views and values on regulatory options for human embryo research.
The Oversight Group will advise on the scope, design and delivery of the large-scale public dialogue. They will provide guidance on the materials and the process of the dialogue, helping to ensure that information for people taking part is comprehensive, balanced and accessible.
"I'm delighted to chair this Oversight Group guiding a public dialogue on the 14-day rule for human embryo research," said Hopwood. "Using creative and inclusive approaches, the dialogue will explore the views of a wide range of people from across the UK."
The '14-day rule' is established in law under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Act. It limits the time a human embryo can be cultured in UK laboratories to a maximum of 14 days.
As techniques for sustaining embryos grown in culture have advanced, we have now reached a point where embryos are being destroyed at the 14-day deadline because of legal restrictions, rather than practical limitations. This has raised the question as to whether the rule is still fit-for-purpose, taking account of scientific capabilities and potential benefits, as well as societal priorities and acceptance.
Earlier this year, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics launched a project, funded by Wellcome, that aims to provide decision-makers with the independent evidence they need to better understand arguments for and against extensions to the 14-day time limit on human embryo research.
The dialogue with UKRI Sciencewise forms part of this project, and will comprise a series of deliberative workshops held across all four nations of the UK.
It is expected to take around 8 months to complete, culminating in a final report that showcases the findings.