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Human biological material taken from deceased people can be used beneficially in diagnosis, education, auditing and research. Tissue samples and organs should only be removed with the full informed consent of the next of kin. The Department is currently reviewing policies in this area, following the Government's acceptance of the Chief Medical Officer's recommendations in "The Removal, Retention and Use of Human Organs and Tissue from Post-Mortem Examination" (2001).
The EU Tissues and Cells Directive sets standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of human tissue and cells intended for human application. As work on the second Commission Directive is nearing completion we are now in a position to consult on new Regulations that will bring all three Directives into UK law.
12 December 2005: The newly established Human Tissue Authority has announced two key dates in 2006 when it will start operating under the Human Tissue Act 2004. The EU Tissues and Cells Directive will be implemented on 7 April 2006, and tissue banks storing tissue and cells for human application will be licensed under the directive from that date. Also in April, the Authority will publish its revised codes of practice guidelines and the licensing framework for all other activities. To allow time for further consultation with professionals and piloting of the framework for regulation, licences for these activities will be granted from 1 September 2006.
UK Transplant are challenging the nation to add one million 'lifesavers' to the register before September 2005.
Guidance, codes of practice and key documents on the clinical, psychological, administrative and legal aspects of removing, retaining and using human organs and tissue.
Web pages about organ and tissue retention, consent and other related topics.
Covers EU Tissues and Cells Directive, the voluntary accreditation scheme and a code of practice for tissue banks.