Legislation, policies and codes of practice
The HTA provides advice and guidance about two laws: the Human Tissue Act, and the EU Tissue and Cells Directives - European laws that have been implemented in the UK via the Quality and Safety Regulations. These laws ensure human tissue is used safely and ethically, with proper consent.
Our aim is to make sure that these laws are followed by setting standards that are clear and reasonable, and in which the public and professionals can have confidence. We help people to understand these requirements by providing codes of practice and other advice, guidance and support.
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Legislation
Find out more abut the Human Tissue Act 2004 and the EU Tissue and Cells Directives, and the way the HTA implements this legislation.
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Codes of practice
The HTA produces codes of practice that give professionals practical guidance on human tissue legislation.
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Policies
Read HTA policies, including our regulatory enforcement policy, and our policies on the definition of relevant material and the sale of bodies, body parts and tissue.
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HTA legal Directions
The HTA issues expected standards in the form of legal Directions twice a year. Read our Directions here.
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Model consent forms
The key principle of the Human Tissue Act is that a person has the right to be asked for consent before any part of their body is used for particular purposes. This applies whether the tissue comes from a living or a deceased person. View model consent forms and find out more about what constitutes consent.
