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The Council on Human Reproductive Technology has cleared Heal Fertility to fully resume all treatment services starting Tuesday, following an embryo sample mix-up in July.
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The approval followed a special meeting on September 3 to review the investigation report and Heal Fertility's licensing matters.
Following a thorough review, the council said it was satisfied that Heal Fertility had implemented all remedial measures, including tighter internal sample handling, enhanced staff training, additional CCTV and biometric authentication in laboratories, and better sample identification systems.
The council also noted that the primary personnel involved had left Heal Fertility and that the center had recruited new personnel and conducted comprehensive training.
An unannounced on-site inspection and an evaluation of relevant compliance reports were conducted before the decision was finalized.
The council said it would continue to monitor the center closely to ensure safe, high-quality care for patients seeking assisted reproductive technology services.
Additionally, the council announced that a formal review of the Code of Practice on Reproductive Technology and Embryo Research is underway, focusing on incident reporting mechanisms and enhancing the security and handling of biological samples. The review is scheduled for completion next year.
In response, Heal Fertility welcomed the council's decision, noting that it had cooperated fully with the investigation and operational review following the incident.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive services will resume on Tuesday, with the center reaching out directly to existing patients regarding scheduling and follow-up care.
The center affirmed that it had audited all operational procedures, implemented targeted improvements, and adopted the council's recommendations in full to maintain rigorous standards and deliver safe, professional care.
The incident originated in July when eight of nine embryo biopsy samples sent by Heal Fertility to a Chinese University of Hong Kong laboratory were found not to belong to the intended parents.
Police suspect a Malaysian employee made errors during the extraction process and attempted to conceal them. Authorities believe the employee departed Hong Kong the day after providing a statement in late July and is currently wanted by police.
