In 2002 the Australian Parliament passed two Acts to legislate on issues around human cloning and research involving human embryos.
The Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction Act 2002 and the Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002 were passed by the Australian Parliament in 2002 in response to community concerns, including ethical concerns, about scientific developments in relation to human reproduction and the use of human embryos. These Acts establish the regulatory framework to prohibit certain unacceptable practices, including human cloning, and regulate uses of excess human embryos created though assisted reproductive technology (ART).
Under the Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002, the Embryo Research Licensing Committee, a principal committee of the NHMRC, was established to oversee the Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002 and the Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction Act 2002 .
The NHMRC Embryo Research Licensing Committee has developed an information kit to assist researchers and Human Research Ethics Committees with applications made under the Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction Act 2002 and the Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002. The kit can be accessed here.