Human Tissue Authority
Encyclopedia
The Human Tissue Authority is a non-departmental public body
in the United Kingdom
that regulates 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.
It was created by the Human Tissue Act 2004
and came into being on 1 April 2005 and its statutory functions began on April 1, 2006. , the authority was chaired by Baroness Hayman and since January 2010 has been chaired by Baroness Diana Warwick.
Its objectives are to:
It also acts as the UK competent authority under the EU Tissue and Cells Directives.
The Act makes consent the fundamental principle underpinning the lawful storage and use of body parts, organs and tissue from the living or the deceased for specified health-related purposes and public display. It also covers the removal of such material from the deceased. It lists the purposes for which consent is required (the scheduled purposes).
The act notably prohibited private individuals from covertly collecting biological samples (hair, fingernails, etc.) for DNA analysis, but excluded medical and criminal investigations from the offence.
"The Human Tissue Act (HT Act) 2004 established the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) as the regulatory body in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for all matters concerning the removal, retention, use and disposal of human tissue (excluding gametes and embryos) for specified purposes. This includes responsibility for licensing the public display of whole bodies, body parts and human tissue from the deceased (if they died after 1 September 1906)." http://www.hta.gov.uk/consult/
The Act governs England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is separate legislation in Scotland, the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006
and the Authority performs certain tasks on behalf of the Scottish Executive
(approval of living donation and licensing of establishments storing tissue for human application).
. They come from a variety of medical, scientific, legal, administrative and political backgrounds.
The Chair and six of the members are lay (i.e. without a professional interest in the area of human tissue). The remaining eight members are professionals drawn from some of the groups most directly affected by the Act. The Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Office
has each nominated one member.
The biographies for each Authority Member are available on the official website.http://www.hta.gov.uk
preservation, storage and distribution of human tissues and cells.
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that regulates 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.
It was created by the Human Tissue Act 2004
Human Tissue Act 2004
The Human Tissue Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which consolidated previous legislation and created the Human Tissue Authority to "regulate the removal, storage, use and disposal of human bodies, organs and tissue."...
and came into being on 1 April 2005 and its statutory functions began on April 1, 2006. , the authority was chaired by Baroness Hayman and since January 2010 has been chaired by Baroness Diana Warwick.
Its objectives are to:
- ...be the regulating authority for matters relating to activities such as anatomical and post-mortem examinations, transplantations and the storage of human material for education, training and research.
It also acts as the UK competent authority under the EU Tissue and Cells Directives.
The Human Tissue Act
The Human Tissue Act 2004 repeals and replaces the Human Tissue Act 1961, the Anatomy Act 1984 and the Human Organ Transplants Act 1989 as they relate to England and Wales, and the corresponding Orders in Northern Ireland. The Unrelated Transplant Regulatory Authority (ULTRA) and the post of HM Inspector of Anatomy were abolished and their functions transferred to the Authority.The Act makes consent the fundamental principle underpinning the lawful storage and use of body parts, organs and tissue from the living or the deceased for specified health-related purposes and public display. It also covers the removal of such material from the deceased. It lists the purposes for which consent is required (the scheduled purposes).
The act notably prohibited private individuals from covertly collecting biological samples (hair, fingernails, etc.) for DNA analysis, but excluded medical and criminal investigations from the offence.
Code of Conduct, and Jurisdiction
According to the Human Tissue Act, the HTA and its authority are governed by a code of conducthttp://www.hta.gov.uk/regulation/codes/ for the handling of human tissue, and the bodies of the deceased, but does not give the HTA authority over exhumed remains from archaeological sites."The Human Tissue Act (HT Act) 2004 established the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) as the regulatory body in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for all matters concerning the removal, retention, use and disposal of human tissue (excluding gametes and embryos) for specified purposes. This includes responsibility for licensing the public display of whole bodies, body parts and human tissue from the deceased (if they died after 1 September 1906)." http://www.hta.gov.uk/consult/
The Act governs England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is separate legislation in Scotland, the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006
Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006
The Human Tissue Act 2006 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament to consolidate and overhaul previous legislation regarding the handling of human tissue.Its counterpart in the rest of the United Kingdom is the Human Tissue Act 2004....
and the Authority performs certain tasks on behalf of the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
(approval of living donation and licensing of establishments storing tissue for human application).
The Authority
The Authority consists of a Chair and eleven Members who have been appointed by the Secretary of State for HealthSecretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health.The first Boards of Health were created by Orders in Council dated 21 June, 14 November, and 21 November 1831. In 1848 a General Board of Health was created with the First Commissioner of Woods and...
. They come from a variety of medical, scientific, legal, administrative and political backgrounds.
The Chair and six of the members are lay (i.e. without a professional interest in the area of human tissue). The remaining eight members are professionals drawn from some of the groups most directly affected by the Act. The Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
has each nominated one member.
- Baroness Diana Warwick (Chair)
- Mr Alan Clamp (Chief Executive)
The biographies for each Authority Member are available on the official website.http://www.hta.gov.uk
External links
- Human Tissue Authority
- Announcement of membership - page at the Wellcome TrustWellcome TrustThe Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
- Department of Health list of arm's length bodies
- Tiss.EU - European Union funded project to determine the effect of Directive 2004/23/EC on setting standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing,
preservation, storage and distribution of human tissues and cells.