Doctors hail new EU directive on tissues and cells
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《英国医生杂志》
Doctors in the United Kingdom have welcomed a directive by the European parliament that sets out new standards on safety and quality for the clinical use of tissues and cells in the European Union.
George Galea, president of the British Association for Tissue Banking, said, "This is great news for patients who need some form of therapeutic treatment based on the use of tissues and cells. At the moment standards are not the same across the EU. The introduction of minimum standards will definitely mean safer and more effective treatment for patients."
John Armitage, director of tissue banking services at the University of Bristol, also hailed the vote as an advance.
"It抯 good; it抯 necessary. It will ensure that thousands of patients will get safe and effective tissue transplants," he said.
Professor Armitage said that the implementation of the EU directive, which applies to the whole of the United Kingdom, would not have a big impact on the day to day handling of tissues and cells in Britain.
He said that a voluntary code of practice that covered donating, procuring, testing, processing, preserving, storing, and distributing human tissues and cells and that also included inspections and accreditation for tissue banks was already in place.
"From the end of March chief executives of NHS foundations have been advised to obtain tissues only from tissue banks accredited by the Department of Health," he said.
The health department抯 code of practice will be superseded by the EU directive within two years. The directive was passed by the European parliament on 16 December after a compromise was reached between the members of the parliament and the Council of Ministers.
A spokeswoman from the health department also welcomed the vote. "This directive gives statutory force to the department抯 voluntary code of practice, and this is a good thing," she said.
She noted that the EU directive covered broadly the same ground as the department抯 code of practice, with only a couple of additional provisions. For example, reproductive cells that are not covered by the department抯 code of practice will fall within the scope of the new EU directive.
Britain抯 rules on stem cell research involving human embryos will not, however, be affected by the directive.
Jan Koller, president of the European Association of Tissue Banks, welcomed in particular the EU directive抯 ban of all payments for tissues or human cells.
"There are many ethical concerns surrounding tissues and cells, but this directive does well in focusing on practical consent issues and on harmonising the standards for professionals and for establishments who deal with tissues and cells," he said.(Vienna Jane Burgermeister)
George Galea, president of the British Association for Tissue Banking, said, "This is great news for patients who need some form of therapeutic treatment based on the use of tissues and cells. At the moment standards are not the same across the EU. The introduction of minimum standards will definitely mean safer and more effective treatment for patients."
John Armitage, director of tissue banking services at the University of Bristol, also hailed the vote as an advance.
"It抯 good; it抯 necessary. It will ensure that thousands of patients will get safe and effective tissue transplants," he said.
Professor Armitage said that the implementation of the EU directive, which applies to the whole of the United Kingdom, would not have a big impact on the day to day handling of tissues and cells in Britain.
He said that a voluntary code of practice that covered donating, procuring, testing, processing, preserving, storing, and distributing human tissues and cells and that also included inspections and accreditation for tissue banks was already in place.
"From the end of March chief executives of NHS foundations have been advised to obtain tissues only from tissue banks accredited by the Department of Health," he said.
The health department抯 code of practice will be superseded by the EU directive within two years. The directive was passed by the European parliament on 16 December after a compromise was reached between the members of the parliament and the Council of Ministers.
A spokeswoman from the health department also welcomed the vote. "This directive gives statutory force to the department抯 voluntary code of practice, and this is a good thing," she said.
She noted that the EU directive covered broadly the same ground as the department抯 code of practice, with only a couple of additional provisions. For example, reproductive cells that are not covered by the department抯 code of practice will fall within the scope of the new EU directive.
Britain抯 rules on stem cell research involving human embryos will not, however, be affected by the directive.
Jan Koller, president of the European Association of Tissue Banks, welcomed in particular the EU directive抯 ban of all payments for tissues or human cells.
"There are many ethical concerns surrounding tissues and cells, but this directive does well in focusing on practical consent issues and on harmonising the standards for professionals and for establishments who deal with tissues and cells," he said.(Vienna Jane Burgermeister)