Coding in medically assisted reproduction: the status of the implementation of the Single European Code for reproductive cells and tissues†

In conclusion, the role of the SEC is to contribute to the safety of tissue and cells transplant recipients through a system of comprehensive and transparent traceability. Although MAR professionals find the principle of a universal code for traceability very useful, the use of a SEC, ISBT-128 or Eurocode is not yet implemented in all MAR centres. Data from our survey showed that there is a lot of criticism about the use of SEC in the field of MAR, suggesting that tools to increase knowledge of the code are needed. Some centres use the code because it is obligatory, but other identifiers are used for true traceability in the centres.