Public Support For Human Tissue Research Has Increased

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Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials;  Medical Devices
Article Date: 06 Feb 2008 - 20:00 PDT

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In the United Kingdom, public support for the use of human tissue in research has risen over the past decade, suggests a study published on February 6, 2008 the Journal of Clinical Pathology. This is in contrast to the negative publicity generated by incidents at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital, which recently prompted new legislation including the Human Tissue Act of 2004. This Act requires specific patient consent human tissue use, with the exception of samples taken during surgery.

In this study, a 1996 survey at a teaching hospital in Sheffield was repeated. Patients were interviewed while recovering from surgery regarding their thoughts on the use and ownership of any tissue removed during operations. In this run, 220 patients in a period of 11 weeks in 2005 took part in the survey.

Ten potential options for the use of the tissue were suggested: these included medical research, training, diagnostic purposes, and transplantation. They were also asked to specify what they thought happened to the tissue when removed, what persons they thought were responsible for examining it, and who actually owned it. 203 total people completed the questionnaires, contributing to a response rate of 92%.

96% of the people surveyed said they would be happy for their tissue to be used in research, higher than the 89% who reported this response in 1996. Patients were similarly happy for their tissue to be used to train medical students. Most people were aware that surgically removed tissue would be pathologically examined, but there was much uncertainty regarding ownerwhip. In fact, no one owns tissue removed during an operation, but only 15% of the participants gave this response. In fact, almost one in three (29%) believed that it was owned by the hospital. Additionally, one in four (23%) thought that patients had ownership -- this is an increase  from 10% in the previous survey.

This, according to the authors, indicates increased public support of a number of human tissue based procedures, especially those in biomedical research. It also shows good alignment of the public opinion with the Human Tissue Act.

Ownership and uses of human tissue: what are the opinions of surgical in-patients?
R J Bryant, R F Harrison, R D Start, A S A Chetwood, A M Chesshire, M W R Reed, S S Cross
J Clin Pathol 2008; doi: 10.1136/jcp.2007.0531173
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Written by Anna Sophia McKenney
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