Human Tissue Act & Biorepository

The Human Tissue Act 2004 (HT Act) was fully implemented on 1st September 2006 and covers the use of tissue for a number of 'Scheduled Purposes' which include research, clinical diagnosis and teaching. The HT 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. This includes `residual´ tissue remaining following clinical and diagnostic procedures. It also covers the removal of such material from the deceased.


The HT Act establishes the Human Tissue Authority as the regulatory body for all matters concerning the removal, storage, use and disposal of human tissue (excluding gametes and embryos) for Scheduled Purposes. The HTA has issued good practice guidance in its Codes of Practice and answers to Frequently Asked Questions are available. The HTA also licences a number of activities under the HT Act, one of which is the storage of tissue for research.


STH and the University of Sheffield have applied for a joint licence for the storage of human tissue for the purposes of research. The licence is held by the Director for R&D (Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust) Professor Simon Heller, copies of the licence can be found in rooms C13 and E150 of the Medical School and also here.


All SOP's below open in Adobe Acrobat (PDF). If you do not have this software, it is obtainable for free from adobe.com