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  • > What is the HTRC?
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• Research Policies and Procedures (SOPs)

Human Tissue Resource Centre

The Human Tissue Act

In order to comply with The Human Tissue Act 2004, the following activities can only be carried out under licence from the Human Tissue Authority:

• 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 (e.g. for research)
• Public display of a body or material from a deceased person.

The Human Tissue Resource Centre (HTRC) has been granted two licences for storage of human tissue for research which cover tissue banks operating at Charterhouse Square and Whitechapel, which authorise the establishment to continue its activities.

Over 20 Tissue Collection Centres (TCCs) have registered with the HTRC. These establishments are storing human organs, tissues and cells for research purposes other than for a specific ethically approved research project.

If your department is collecting or distributing tissue surplus tissue for research and/or are storing tissue that is NOT connected to an ethically approved research project AND you have not informed the HTRC, then you must do so immediately. To download a registration form, go to Tissue collection registration.

Main points for research tissue banks to note

The HTRC is working on changes to the process of obtaining consent for research. We are developing policies on the collection, storage and distribution of human tissue for research. To comply with the act, TCCs must have procedures in place to:

1. Obtain consent for the use and storage of tissue
2. Record where samples are stored
3. Record how and by whom tissue is disposed

The Act does not distinguish between blocks and slides and any other form of human tissue containing cells, so all forms of tissue need to be accounted for and tracked.

Note: In response to the HTA's recent decision on relevant material, the HTRC Steering Committee has agreed that plasma and serum shall NOT be regarded as relevant material. Groups storing plasma and serum only will not have to be registered under the BLT license. For more information, go to What is 'relevant material'?