What role does the Agence de la biomédecine play in the French healthcare landscape?

Created in 2005 under the French Bioethics Act, the Agence de la biomédecine occupies a central position in the French healthcare landscape, as the reference authority for bioethical issues and the medical activities it regulates: organ, tissue and hematopoietic stem cell procurement and transplantation, medically assisted procreation (MAP), and human embryology and genetics.

A public body under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, it implements public policies in these fields, while guaranteeing compliance with ethical principles and the safety of practices. The agency reports on its activities to the Government and Parliament, ensuring transparency and rigorous monitoring of its missions. It ensures that the bioethics laws governing medical practices involving human body parts are applied, in particular by guaranteeing fair access to the care it supervises.

The Agency collaborates with other national and regional bodies, such as the Établissement français du sang (EFS), the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm), and regional health agencies (ARS), to ensure coordinated, efficient patient care in its areas of activity. It also relies on a network of international partners to facilitate the exchange of expertise, reinforcing its role beyond French borders.

Last but not least, it is known to the general public for its major communication campaigns to promote organ, hematopoietic stem cell, gamete and embryo donations, which are essential to the medical activities it oversees.