News20th November 2025
As part of our public dialogue run in partnership with Sciencewise, this series of workshops and in-depth interviews – involving 135 people – will capture views and insights from diverse groups, particularly those who are under-represented in medical research and/or have relevant lived experience.
Designed and delivered by Ipsos UK and National Voices, the sessions will cater for community needs and level of familiarity with the topic. They will be co-facilitated by representatives from voluntary and community sector organisations who work with National Voices.
The conversations will help us to better understand how people feel about the future of human embryo research, and how it is regulated in the UK.
Michelle Mackie, Head of the Qualitative Research and Engagement Centre at Ipsos, said:
“It is common for public dialogues to include a reflective mix of society, but we’re also including more focused engagement with communities that are often underrepresented in research. By partnering with National Voices and local community organisations, we are not just inviting people to the table; we are co-creating a space where their lived experiences and perspectives can genuinely shape the conversation.”
Jacob Lant, Chief Executive at National Voices, said:
“We are proud to contribute to this important initiative and work alongside partners who recognise the importance of embedding lived experience in research. By drawing on our members’ deep connections to communities across the country, we can help to shape an approach to embryo research that is grounded in the voices and values of people who are all too often overlooked in conversations of this kind.”
The insights we gather will feed into a Citizens’ Summit planned for February–March 2026. This will see 100 people, making up a representative sample of the UK population, come together to deliberate collectively on the future of the 14-day rule for human embryo research.
There have been calls on the UK Government to review the 1990 HFE Act, with scientists, and the UK’s fertility regulator advocating for amendments to the 14-day time limit on human embryo research.
The public insights gathered through these community conversations and the Citizens’ Summit will enable us to provide decision-makers with the independent evidence and analysis they need to assess and decide upon future regulatory options.
Katie Weeks, Programme Director at Sciencewise, said:
“We are pleased to support this new partnership to guide current discussions around the 14-day time limit on human embryo research, making sure they are shaped by social considerations and public values, not just scientific capabilities.”
Danielle Hamm, Director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, said:
“Any meaningful consideration of changing how human embryo research is governed in the UK must be sensitive to our societal interests and values. This is why we are embarking on this timely public dialogue, to give policymakers the evidence they need. I am excited to see these community conversations start and look forward to sharing what we discover.”