Launch of new website and Parliament-approved Codes of Practice

Establishments which require a licence under the Human Tissue Act can now apply for licences online following the launch of the new HTA website.

Issue date: 14 July 2006

The HTA website provides the definitive guide to licensing for post mortem services, anatomy schools, establishments storing tissue for research, and sites displaying human material, such as museums, all of which must be licensed under the Human Tissue Act by 1 September 20064.
 
The HTA website enables users to find out whether they need a licence, apply for licences online, pay licence fees, register to attend events and respond to HTA consultations, as well as sign up to receive the HTA e-newsletter in order to keep up-to-date with the latest developments. The site includes clear guidance about the licensing process, as well as frequently asked questions and a glossary of terms.
 
The site also provides information and guidance on regulation of living donor organ transplants and implications of the Human Tissue Act for the transplant community.
 
The website redevelopment followed a user-centred approach – stakeholder representatives took part in testing the site, and their feedback informed the way the site was developed.

Codes of Practice
 
The HTA has today (14 July 2006) also published its first six Codes of Practice on the removal, storage, use and disposal of human tissue and organs. The Codes – which have now received Parliamentary approval – provide advice and guidance to practitioners and lay down the standards expected. The Codes have gone through an extensive consultation process with professional and patient groups. The HTA had more than 100 responses to its online consultation and more than 100 people took part in workshops held across the UK.
 
Adrian McNeil, Chief Executive of the HTA, said: “We have engaged representatives from healthcare, science, patient groups and the public in developing our website and Codes of Practice. Our website is an essential resource for all establishments requiring a licence under the Human Tissue Act, providing a step-by-step guide to the licensing process. We hope that our website and Codes will be of value to practitioners and other groups, in helping to support good practice in an important area of science and medicine.”
 
ENDS
 
For further information contact the HTA: Stuart Giblin 020 7211 3416, stuart.giblin@hta.gov.uk or Daisy Thomas 020 7211 3417, daisy.thomas@hta.gov.uk
 
Notes to editors
 
1. The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) was established on 1 April 2005 to regulate the removal, storage, use and disposal of human bodies, organs and tissue for a number of ‘Scheduled Purposes’ – such as research, transplantation, and education and training – set out in the Human Tissue Act 2004 (HT Act).
 
2. The HT Act covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is separate legislation in Scotland – the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 – and the HTA will perform certain tasks on behalf of the Scottish Executive (approval of living donation and licensing of establishments storing tissue for human application).
 
3. As the regulator under the HT Act, the HTA is responsible for licensing a number of activities and carrying out inspections to ensure licence conditions are being met. These licensable activities are:

• The carrying out of an anatomical examination
• The storage of human bodies for anatomical examination and related research
• The carrying out of post mortem examinations, including removal and storage of human tissue
• The storage and use of human bodies or parts for public display
• The storage of human tissue for other Scheduled Purposes.

The HTA is also responsible for approving transplantation of organs and bone marrow from living donors. 

4. Establishments storing tissue for human application are regulated under the EU Tissues and Cells Directive and required a licence as of 7 April 2006.  All other activities will be licensable from 1 September 2006.

5. The six Codes of Practice published by the HTA are: Code of Practice 1 – Consent; Code of Practice 2 – Donation of Organs, tissue and cells for transplantation; Code of Practice 3 – Post mortem examination; Code of Practice 4 – Anatomical examination;  Code of Practice 5 – Removal, Storage and disposal of human organs and tissue and Code of Practice 6 – Donation of allogenic bone marrow and peripheral blood stem, cells for transplantation. The HTA will issue further Codes of Practice and additional guidance later in 2006.

6. The consultation on the Codes of Practice was conducted over a 3-month period (July to October 2005).  The HTA received 117 responses to the consultation. In addition the HTA held four consultation workshops in September 2005, attended by a range of professional and lay participants in London, mid Wales, Belfast and Sheffield.
 
7. The new HTA website was developed in conjunction with tmg. tmg is a digital consultancy which creates user-centered websites for the public and private sectors.
 
8. You can subscribe to the HTA e-newsletter ‘Current issue’ to keep up-to-date with the work of the HTA, on this website