pregnancy is the single biggest risk to patients and children born as a result of fertility treatment. Women undergoing IVF treatment are twenty times more likely to have a multiple birth than if they conceive naturally. After carefully considering views from clinics, patients and professional bodies, the HFEA decided to set a maximum multiple birth rate that clinics should not exceed, which will be lowered each year. All clinics will have their own strategy setting out how they will lower the multiple birth rate in their clinic by identifying the patients for whom single embryo transfer is the most appropriate treatment. The HFEA aims to reduce multiple births from IVF treatment to 10% over a period of years. In September 2007, after an extensive consultation with the UK public, the Authority decided that there is no fundamental reason to prevent cytoplasmic hybrid research. Individual research teams should be able to undertake research projects involving the creation of cytoplasmic hybrid embryos, provided that an HFEA Licence Committee is satisfied that their planned research is necessary and desirable. They must also meet the overall standards required by the HFEA for any embryo research. In January 2008, the HFEA granted licenses to Newcastle University and King's College London to carry out cytoplasmic hybrid research projects In 2007 the Authority agreed to allow women to be able to donate their eggs to research projects, provided that there are strong safeguards in place to ensure the women are properly informed of the risks of the procedure and are properly protected from coercion In 2006, the HFEA approved in principle the screening of embryos for genes that may lead to certain cancers in middle age In 2005, the HFEA granted a licence to treat mitochondrial diseases by allowing researchers to attempt to create an embryo with two genetic mothers In 2004, the HFEA granted British scientists a licence to produce cloned human cells, making it only the second country in the world to permit such a procedure Current and former members Chair – Sally Cheshire Deputy Chair – Gemma Hobcraft Chief Executive – Peter Thompson Former Chairs include Professor Lisa Jardine, Walter Merricks, Shirley Harrison, Lord Harries, Dame Suzi Leather, Baroness Deech and Sir Colin Campbell. Other notable former members include Professor Emily Jackson and Margaret Auld, former Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland. See also Assisted Human Reproduction Canada Evans v. the United Kingdom Intersex rights