Do I need a HTA licence?
Check if you need a licence. Use our flowcharts to help you decide if your activity requires a licence.
Professional
News
Keep up-to-date with the latest news and events from the HTA.
Current vacancies
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) is the national independent regulator for organisations that remove, store and use tissue for research, medical treatment, post-mortem examination, teaching and display in public. We also give approval for organ and bone marrow donations from living people. With the interests of the public and those we regulate at the centre of our work, we aim to maintain confidence by ensuring that human tissue is used safely and ethically, with proper consent. The HTA is currently recruiting for the jobs below.
Social media guidelines for anatomists – how they came about and how they link to the HTA
I think the vast majority of people would agree with me that social media has become a huge part of how we communicate and keep informed, be that sharing a photo of a day on Instagram, tweeting about a recently published article or sending an update about work on WhatsApp. As somebody recently put it to me, social media can be a blessing and a curse, and this has never been truer than during the current COVID-19 pandemic since almost everyone has been forced to communicate using online technologies, including anatomy educators.
The Independent Assessment process
Once a donor has been deemed medically and clinically suitable to donate by their medical practitioner the donor will be required to attend an independent assessment. An independent assessment is an interview which is carried out by an Independent Assessor (IA) who is trained and accredited by the HTA. The IA interviews the donor and recipient both separately and together on behalf of the HTA and is independent of the healthcare teams who are involved with the medical process.
Legislation
Find out more about the legislation that forms the core of our regulation.
Licensing
Guidance on HTA licences, information on how to acquire one, and how you can modify existing licences.
Codes of Practice
Here you can find our Codes of Practice, practical guidance to professions carrying out activities we regulate.
Guidance for professionals
This section contains all of the information and guidance that we provide for professionals, including our codes of practice, licensing information and the legislation that guides our regulatory activity.
Guidance on contingency storage arrangements for the deceased
The HTA licensing standards on premises, facilities and equipment aim to ensure that there are appropriate facilities for the storage of bodies and human tissue.
PFE2(b): There is sufficient capacity for storage of bodies, organs, and tissue samples, which takes into account predicted peaks of activity.
PFE2(c): Storage for long-term storage of bodies and bariatric bodies is sufficient to meet needs.