The University’s Research Ethics Policy and guidance and Blood Collection Policy have been updated to include guidance on the storage of human tissue for research purposes.
The Human Tissue Act 2004
The Human Tissue Act 2004 regulates the storage and use of human tissue for research purposes. It applies to human tissue whether or not it is sourced from the NHS. Human tissue includes blood, human primary cells and other material, other than gametes, which consists of or includes human cells (for further information on what constitutes human tissue, see the Human Tissue Authority’s list of relevant material). Failure to comply with the Act can lead to imprisonment and/or a fine.
To comply with the Act's requirements, research projects which involve the storage of human tissue will normally need to seek approval from an NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC). Applications should be submitted via the NHS Integrated Research Application System (IRAS). The University Research Ethics Board should be informed about projects which have been approved by an NHS REC.
Further information
For further information, see the research ethics guidance or contact researchethics@greenwich.ac.uk.
