Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2003

A person may apply to the NHMRC Licensing Committee for a licence authorising 1 or more of the following:

use of excess ART embryos;

creation of human embryos other than by fertilisation of a human egg by a human sperm, and use of such embryos;

creation of human embryos other than by fertilisation of a human egg by a human sperm that contain genetic material provided by more than 2 persons, and use of such embryos;

creation of human embryos using precursor cells from a human embryo or a human fetus, and use of such embryos;

research and training involving the fertilisation of a human egg by a human sperm up to, but not including, the first mitotic division, outside the body of a woman for the purposes of research or training in ART;

creation of hybrid embryos by the fertilisation of an animal egg by a human sperm, and use of such embryos up to, but not including, the first mitotic division, if—

the creation or use is for the purposes of testing sperm quality; and

the creation or use will occur in an accredited ART centre.

To avoid doubt, subsection (1)(a), (b), (c) and (d) do not permit the NHMRC Licensing Committee to authorise any use of an excess ART embryo or other embryo that would result in the development of the embryo for a period of more than 14 days, excluding any period when development is suspended.

An application under subsection (1)—

must be made in accordance with the requirements (if any) specified in writing by the NHMRC Licensing Committee; and

must be accompanied by the fee (if any) prescribed by the regulations.