Research on human tissue
The handling of Human Tissue for research and for treatment is governed by the rules laid out in the UK Human Tissue Act 2004, the UK Human Tissue (Quality and Safety for Human Application) Regulations 2007 and the European Directives on Tissues and Cells (2004/23/EC, 2006/17/EC, 2006/86/EC).
At NESCI, all human tissue is held strictly within the remit and time limits of a specific research project that has ethics approval from a HTA recognised ethics committee.
All tissue samples have the appropriate informed consent in place. All NESCI staff receiving or disposing of a sample of human tissue keep an appropriate record of the sample. Samples are anonymised in such a way, that NESCI researchers are not likely to come into possession of information from which the person from whose body the material has come can be identified. Our Materials Transfer Agreements ensure that other institutions who provide us with tissue, or that we transfer tissue to, guarantee their compliance with the European Directive on Tissues and Cells.
Licences for handling human tissue are granted under a regime of inspection by the UK Human Tissue Authority (HTA).
HTA licenses are held by the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Durham. (C.Hutchinson); by the Institute of Genetic Medicine at the Centre for Life in Newcastle (P.Chinnery); by the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (A.Gennery) and by the NESCI bio-manufacturing facilities (B.Craig).
For details on these licenses see the HTA website
