Guidelines for the Handling, Storage and Disposal of Human Tissue Samples

Guidelines for the Handling, Storage and Disposal of Human Tissue Samples

It is the absolute responsibility of the head of any research programme to ensure that all staff involved in the project have read these guidelines BEFORE they handle any human tissue.

Preliminaries

  1. Patient consent is required before any tissue sample may be used for research purposes. The consent form must make it clear to the patient that he/she is making a donation of a sample for use in research and that the tissue taken is surplus to clinical requirements.
  2. Tissue may only be used in connection with studies that have been approved by the University Ethics Committee.

Step by step Procedure

  1. Tissue must be collected and transported in accordance with the established rules for the safe handling of such tissue. If this is a new study, then optimum handling and storage conditions must be established as a preliminary.
  2. All necessary evidence in relation to the individual patient must be ascertained (Hepatitis status etc.). Where appropriate (e.g. tumour tissue), tissue must be taken to the hospital Pathology Laboratory to be sectioned by a qualified pathologist, before any sample is transferred to the research laboratory.
  3. Once transferred to the laboratory (under the conditions known to be optimal for the particular research project), the sample must be logged in, using a formal entry book. This should record the age, sex, organ, disease type (if appropriate), hospital of origin and reference no. However, patient anonymity must be preserved.
  4. It is essential that the entry book also contains a full record of the experimental use and of subsequent disposal (by approved means) of the tissue.
  5. A COSHH form must be completed for each of these procedures.
    Prior to signing the relevant COSHH form, anyone working under the supervision of the research should be given an opportunity to discuss the procedures that will be carried out and any possible health risks involved.

Use and disposal

  1. For each tissue, there will be approved methods for safe handling of the material. Procedures such as homogenisation must be carried out by approved procedures, avoiding any known risks, such as vortex issues.
  2. At the end of the procedures, it is essential that the entry record book also contains a full record of the experimental use and of subsequent disposal (by approved means) of the tissue, ensuring that there are correct dates for each step.