HL Deb 06 June 2000 vol 613 cc152-3WA
Lord Lucas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether human body parts such as skin, tendons, heart valves, bones and dura matter are imported into the United Kingdom for use in the National Health Service; and if so, from which countries, with what safeguards, and at what annual cost. [HL2645]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The National Health Service is largely self-sufficient in tissues such as skin, tendon and heart valves, relying on material from tissue banks within the NHS. Exceptionally, small amounts of tissues are imported to meet individual patient's needs. Details of the quantity and cost of imported tissues are not held centrally.

Tissue banks accepting material from overseas must make sure that the Committee of Microbiological Safety of Blood and Tissues for Transplantation's "Guidance on the microbiological safety of human tissues and organs used in transplantation" has been followed by the bank of origin. If the tissues do not pass through a United Kingdom tissue bank, the clinician who uses the tissue is responsible for making sure the guidance has been followed.

Dura mater is no longer used in the NHS.