HTA publishes first Annual Report and Accounts

The HTA has published its first Annual Report and Accounts, which have been laid before Parliament.

Issue date: 20 July 2006

The report, entitled ‘The birth of a regulator’, focuses on the establishment of the HTA as the regulator under the Human Tissue Act (HT Act) and as one of the Competent Authorities in the UK under the EU Tissue and Cells Directive (EUTCD). This first Annual Report covers the HTA’s work from 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006.

As the regulator under the HT Act, the HTA is responsible for regulating a number of activities. Consent is the fundamental principle underpinning the work of the HTA; consent must be obtained if body parts, organs and tissue from the living or the deceased are to be used in a lawful way.

Introducing the report, Adrian McNeil, Chief Executive of the HTA, said: “I am proud to present this first Annual Report and Accounts for the HTA, which summarises the huge amount of work needed over the past 12 months to establish this new regulatory authority. We have set out from the start to operate in an open and consultative way, and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the development of our regulatory framework. Our focus will be to continue to work in partnership with our stakeholders and to encourage and promote best practice across the sectors we regulate.”

From 1 September 2006, the HTA will license post mortem services, anatomy schools, establishments storing tissue for research, and sites displaying human material, such as museums. These establishments can apply for licences on the HTA website. Establishments storing tissue for human application are already being licensed by the HTA – as of 7 April 2006 – under the EUTCD. From 1 September 2006 the HTA will also approve all transplants from living donors.

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 HTA’s first Annual Report and Accounts is available to download from this website

2. The 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).

3. 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 of organs and licensing of establishments storing tissue for human application).

4. The HTA is responsible for licensing a number of activities under the HT Act. These licensable activities are:

• Anatomical examination
• Post mortem examination
• Removal of material from deceased persons in certain circumstances
• Storage of post mortem material
• Storage of anatomical specimens
• Storage of material from a living person (for research)
• Public display of a body or material from a deceased person.

The HTA is also responsible for approving transplantation of organs and bone marrow from living donors. Independent Assessors will be accredited to work on the HTA’s behalf to assess applications for all live transplants of solid organs. They will act as representatives of the HTA and as advocates for the donor.

5. 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.

6. Subscribe to the HTA’s e-newsletter ‘Current issue’ and keep up-to-date with the work of the HTA.