The HFEA Code of Practice sets minimum documentation requirements for the transfer of human reproductive material between licensed UK fertility facilities. The five documents that must accompany every transfer are: a chain-of-custody form signed by both releasing and receiving facilities; a consent verification confirming both gamete providers have authorised the transfer and storage at the destination; a sample identity record linking physical labels on the storage device to the patient record at both ends; a temperature log confirming cryogenic conditions were maintained throughout transit; and a receiving facility acceptance record.
The temperature log is the document most frequently absent. Without it, the receiving facility cannot confirm that the cold chain was maintained between dispatch and receipt. An HFEA inspector reviewing a transfer without a temperature record will note a compliance gap. A transfer where the temperature record shows an excursion above -130 degrees Celsius is a clinical incident requiring documentation, investigation, and potentially patient disclosure. There is no retrospective remedy for a missing temperature log.
