What is the ethical and legal situation regarding use of human tissue?
Hospital Research and Ethics Committees are required to approve consent for biobanking and for specific project applications by researchers. 95% of patients do not wish to be asked to give consent for a second research project using leftover research samples (Mee B, prospective study, 2009). All research projects involving tissue samples must have scientific approval before samples and data will be released from the network hospitals.
The Irish Council for Bioethics www.bioethics.ie/pdfs/BioEthics_fin.pdf reported recommendations on the use of human tissue for research in 2005, and human tissue legislation, in line with other countries, is in preparation. For example, the UK, including Northern Ireland, is regulated by the Human Tissue Authority.
See More FAQ for more details on confidentiality and privacy.