Tissue and cells for patient treatment

Organisations that treat patients with human tissue and cells, including stem cells, skin and heart valves are licensed by the HTA. The use of human tissue to treat patients is referred to as human application. A licence for human application can be issued to a wide variety of organisations, including eye banks, maternity units and organisations that store skin and bone.

Uses of human tissue

Human tissue and cells can be used to treat patients in a range of different ways, including corneas to treat people with sight problems, skin and bone to treat burns or repair injuries, heart valves to treat heart disease and cord blood which may be used in the future to treat the child or another person.

Please use the links on the left of this page to access information for the human application sector.

On 10 March 2011 the Department of Health announced that the Human Tissue Authority has been selected as the body that will set standards for the quality and safety of transplant organs across England and Wales. Read more about our role in leading on the organ donation directive.