The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority: evidence based policy formation in a contested context.

This article briefly reviews the various papers contained in this volume. They were originally presented at a research work shop held at Keele University in the UK in February 2003. It is suggested that the different papers raise a series of related legal, social and ethical issues and can be collectively seen to demonstrate the fact that policy formation in relation to reproductive matters is highly contested. It is concluded that ethical policy formation in this area needs to be based on actual evidence of harm rather than assumed harm and that this therefore entails more empirical research into reproductive matters.