The human body provides fluids, tissues and organs to medicine: these materials may replace a deficient organ, tissue or physiological function or be processed into medicinal substances and assume the role of drugs. Due to extensive scientific research and surgical innovations, the uses of the human body have expanded greatly since the end of the Second World War. These scientific and technical innovations would not have materialized without the organized collection of human body parts such as organs, tissues, fluids and especially blood.

The materials in question are inserted into frameworks of standardization, and their status changes from an integral part of the human body into ‘something that is consumed’ hence, they are comparable to drugs, but differ in that they are of human origin. This may explain why these products can be considered ‘human biological materials’ or ‘biologics’. Just like other biologics, the criteria of standardization (purity, safety, efficiency and dosage) are essential to the production process. When we examine human body products, we must consider both the means and consequences of standardization.

A number of preliminary remarks are necessary, the first of which concerns the specificity of human body products. Biologics are usually understood to be (non-chemical or non-artificial) products and substances that are provided by Nature.