More checks for embryo biopsies, overhaul reproductive tech law, DAB urges

Call for action comes nearly a month after regulatory body suspended most operations at fertility clinic over specimen mix-ups

Hong Kong should require a double-check mechanism for all embryo biopsy procedures and overhaul its reproductive technology law, the city’s largest political party has proposed following a rare mix-up of specimens at a fertility clinic.

DAB lawmaker Nixie Lam Lam said that the current mandatory two-person verification process did not cover every stage of embryo biopsy handling, and warned that the existing guidelines for reporting incidents lacked statutory power.

“We suggest amending the code of practice so that every single step – from sample extraction, sealing, and transport, all the way to laboratory receiving – requires two-person verification and record-keeping,” she said.

The Council on Human Reproductive Technology, a statutory body established in 2001, regulates the city’s reproductive technology procedures and embryo research.

Healthcare institutions providing reproductive technology procedures must hold licences issued by the council. Currently, 13 public and 15 private organisations are licensed.