Human application
Under the Human Tissue (Quality and Safety for Human Application) Regulations 2007 (Q&S Regulations), the HTA licenses and inspects establishments that undertake the procurement, testing, processing, storage, distribution, import and export of tissues and cells for human application.
Licensed establishments include a wide range of organisations such as hospitals, stem cell laboratories and tissue banks, as well as private companies such as cord blood banks, suppliers of acellular material and establishments that procure the starting material for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs). Establishments licensed under the Q&S Regulations work with a wide variety of tissue/cell types, including bone, skin, heart valves, bone marrow, stem cells, chondrocytes, and pancreatic islets.
Licensed establishments are required to meet the standards which are detailed in the HTA’s ‘Guide to Quality and Safety Assurance of Human Tissues and Cells for Patient Treatment’ as implemented by Directions 001/2021. These Directions consolidate and clarify the standards required under the Q&S Regulations.