title: The HFEA in context.
abstract: While the regulatory role of the HFEA, its independence and its shortcomings are debated in the context of a fiscal economic crisis, the larger sociological importance of the Authority may be overlooked. Harder to calculate than its annual budget and more elusive than its technical remit as a licensing body, the cultural value of the HFEA as a historical and symbolic entity that was born out of a pioneering debate unique to the UK must be included in a discussion of its future role. Against its perceived shortcomings as an expensive and outdated quango is the importance of the Authority as a public instrument for enhancing the future of translational bioscience. From this point of view, the HFEA is crucial not only to ensuring the successful realization of a domestic bioscience agenda but also to protecting the international reputation of UK Plc as a best-practice model of publicly supported bioinnovation.
authors: Department of Sociology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Franklin
mesh_terms: D004626:Embryology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008004:Licensure; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom