Consent exemptions under the Human Tissue Act 2004
This section explains the consent exemptions from the Human Tissue Act (2004) (HT Act).
Public display
Public display of anatomical specimens FAQs
Human bodies, body parts and specimens may be put on public display, for example as part of an exhibition in a gallery or museum. If they are from the body of a deceased person who died less than 100 years ago, the premises must be licensed by the HTA for public display.
Storage of human material for teaching by schools and colleges
Some schools and colleges store human material for use in teaching. Such specimens could include cells on a microscope slide, specimens preserved in formalin, skulls, and partial or complete skeletons.
Under the Human Tissue Act 2004 (‘the HT Act’), human material which contains cells is called ‘relevant material’.
Public Display
Guidance and resources for establishments licenced under our Public Display sector
Guidance by sector
Specific information for those that work in our regulated sectors.
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.
Codes of Practice
Here you can find our Codes of Practice, practical guidance to professions carrying out activities we regulate.
The more things change, the more they remain the same
Our Chief Executive Allan Marriott-Smith takes a look back over the last decade of the HTA.
I’m sure I’m not alone in the thinking that coming to the end of another decade has relatively few highlights. I can say for certain that in January 2020 I’m older, greyer and wrinklier than in 2010, and my knees have seen better days.
Organ donation: Lessons from Wales
On December 1 2015, Wales became the first country in the UK to implement a ‘soft opt-out’ system for organ donation. Earlier this year we learnt that this has significantly increased consent rates for deceased donation when compared with England. At the time of the law change consent rates in Wales were the lowest in the UK (less than 50%). Now they are the highest by some distance (77% compared with 67% for the rest of the UK).
Sale of bodies, body parts and tissue policy
The HTA regulates organisations that remove, store and use human tissue for research, patient treatment, post-mortem examination, anatomical examination, surgical training and display in public. These activities require appropriate consent to be in place in order for them to lawfully take place, and a number of them are also licensable. Our code of practice on consent gives guidance on how to comply with the consent requirements of the Human Tissue Act 2004.