Licence holders are responsible for ensuring that their organisations comply with licence conditions. Each person who is identified in the licence conditions as an authorised person must be fully informed about the licence and its conditions and the requirements of the legislation and any corresponding state or territory law.
Notifying that consent has been obtained
A licence includes a date when the research project may start. However, the use of a human egg or an ART embryo, or the creation or use of another embryo, must not begin until:
- proper consent has been given by each responsible person; and
- the licence holder has reported in writing to the NHMRC Embryo Research Licensing Committee that consent has been obtained.
The licence holder should use the agreed version of the Notification of Consent spreadsheet to report consent to the NHMRC Licensing Committee. Sample spreadsheets are provided on this page.
Reporting on licensed activities
6 monthly reports
Licence holders are required to report to the NHMRC Licensing Committee every 6 months on their use of excess ART embryos or human eggs or the creation and/or use of other embryos under licence. The reporting periods are 1 March to 31 August and 1 September to 28 (or 29) February. Reports are due within 30 days of the end of the reporting period and must use the templates provided on this page or an agreed alternative.
Final reports
Licence holders are also required to report to the NHMRC Licensing Committee when a licence expires, or is surrendered, using the Final Report on Licensed Activities template and the Authorised use spreadsheet provided below. The report must be submitted before the expiry or surrender of the licence.
Varying a licence
Licences may be varied (Section 25, Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002). Variations can be initiated by the licence holder or by the NHMRC Licensing Committee. Chapter 3 of the Information Kit includes an overview. Details about the information required for different types of variations can be found on this page.
