Background and general principles

A fundamental ethical principle in the Polkinghorne Report (“Review of the guidance on the research use of fetuses and fetal material”, Cm 792, 1989 HMSO) is that the decision to terminate a pregnancy and the method and timing of the abortion must not be influenced by consideration of the possible use which may be made of the tissue. That principle operates and can be seen to operate when fetal tissue required for research, diagnosis or therapy is obtained from a tissue bank rather than supplied direct from centres which perform abortions.

At present the only national facility for providing fetal tissue for research or other use is the MRC Fetal Tissue Bank at the Hammersmith Hospital. In many circumstances this tissue bank will be able to supply the needs of research workers and diagnostic laboratories. However, there will be some circumstances in which it will be essential for tissue to be obtained locally. This note sets out the factors that will need to be taken into account in deciding whether tissue should be obtained from the MRC Fetal Tissue Bank or through local arrangements. Whatever supply arrangements are appropriate must comply with the Polkinghorne principle of separation of supplier from user.

In accordance with current good practice all tissue of human origin should be regarded as potentially infectious. This is the case whether or not the donor source or tissue itself has been screened for evidence of infection. In any event the users of fetal tissue should be advised of whether screening was performed and if so the nature of that screening.