Public

This accessibility statement applies to https://www.hta.gov.uk and all pages within it.  

Keep up-to-date with the latest news and events from the HTA.

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.

This page contains answers to frequently asked questions about umbilical cord blood banking, including information about what umbilical cord blood is, how it is collected and how it is used and stored.

If you are considering privately banking your cord blood there are some important things you need to know. Here are some key questions we strongly recommend you ask the cord blood bank that you are considering contracting with to collect and store your cord blood. 

The HTA licenses both public and private umbilical cord blood banks in the UK.

This section explains the different types of umbilical cord blood banking.

Umbilical cord blood, commonly referred to as ‘cord blood’, is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following childbirth. Cord blood can be used to treat and cure many life-threatening diseases. Cord blood may be collected at the time of birth and stored, so that it is available for the potential future treatment of the child or another person.