Tue 01 Sept
|20th Anniversary of The Human Tissue Act
20th Anniversary of The Human Tissue Act
20 Years on - The Human Tissue Act (2004) came into full legal effect across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland on September 1, 2006. The 20th Anniversary marks two decades of placing appropriate, informed consent at the heart of removing, storing, and using human tissue and organs
Time & Location
01 Sept 2026, 00:00 – 23:50
20th Anniversary of The Human Tissue Act
About the event
The Human Tissue Act (2004) came into full legal effect across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland on September 1, 2006. The 20th Anniversary marks two decades of placing appropriate, informed consent at the heart of removing, storing, and using human tissue and organs
Why it was created
The Act was introduced in response to inquiries (such as the Bristol Royal Infirmary and Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital inquiries) into the inappropriate retention of organs after post-mortem examinations, particularly in children. It replaced the Human Tissue Act 1961, the Anatomy Act 1984, and the Human Organ Transplants Act 1989
Key Functions
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA): The Act established this regulatory body to oversee organisations storing and using human tissue for research, medical treatment, post-mortem examinations, education, and public display.
Informed Consent: It made appropriate consent a legal requirement for the removal, storage, and use of body parts, organs, and tissue (defined as "relevant…
