The Human Tissue Bill was published. The Bill was designed to provide a consistent legislative framework for issues relating to whole body donation and the taking, storage and use of human organs and tissue. It would make consent the fundamental principle underpinning the lawful storage and use of human bodies, body parts, organs and tissue and the removal of material from the bodies of deceased persons. It was intended to achieve a balance between the rights and expectations of individuals and families, and broader considerations, such as the importance of research, education, training, pathology and public health surveillance to the population as a whole.
Source: Human Tissue Bill, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes
Date: 2003-Dec
The High court ruled that effective consent had to be given by both the man providing the sperm and the woman providing the eggs to allow storage of their embryos for IVF treatment. It rejected a bid by two women to have children from frozen embryos they had created with their former partners, against the wishes of the partners.
Source: The Guardian, 1 October 2003
Links: Guardian report | HFEA press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A report said that pharmacogenetics the study of how genetic variation affected people's response to medicines - could promise safer and more effective treatments: but it would first be necessary to address ethical concerns if the potential benefits of the technology were to be realised.
Source: Pharmacogenetics: Ethical issues, Nuffield Council on Bioethics (020 7681 9619)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | NCB press release
Date: 2003-Sep
The government published its response to the Isaacs report (which found that the brains of thousands of mentally ill people may have been illegally removed after their death). It said that: 'Since the time of the activities described in [the] report, the culture of retaining organs and tissue without consent has changed fundamentally'.
Source: Isaacs Report Response: Response to the report by Her Majesty s Inspector of Anatomy, Department of Health (08701 555455) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 15.7.03, columns 25-26WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | Hansard | DH press release | Isaacs report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
A government White Paper proposed a 50 million strategy to harness the potential of advances in genetics for the benefit of patients. It also published its response to a report by the Human Genetics Commission (published in June 2002) on balancing interests in the use of personal genetic data.
Source: Our Inheritance, Our Future - Realising the potential of genetics in the NHS, White Paper Cm 5791 II, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 24.6.03, columns 876-892, TSO | Letter from Secretary of State for Health, 24.6.03
Links: White Paper (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Hansard | NHS press release | Letter of response to HGC | HGC press release | HGC report | MRC press release
Date: 2003-Jun
The Human Genetics Commission recommended that most genetic tests that offered predictive health information should not be sold directly to the public.
Source: Genes Direct: Ensuring the effective oversight of genetic tests supplied directly to the public, Human Genetics Commission (fax: 01623 724524)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | HGC press release
Date: 2003-Apr
A paper summarised recent discussions within the actuarial profession regarding the impact of new genetic knowledge on social policy.
Source: Chris Daykin (et al.), Genetics and Insurance: Some social policy issues, Institute of Actuaries (01865 268205)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Mar
The House of Lords rejected a challenge to regulations passed in 2001 allowing the use of cloned human cells to develop embryos for stem cell research ('therapeutic cloning').
Source: Regina v. Secretary of State for Health (Respondent) ex parte Quintavalle (on behalf of Pro-Life Alliance) (Appellant), UKHL 13 (Session 2002-03), House of Lords Judicial Office (020 7219 3111)
Links: Text of judgement | HFEA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Mar
A survey suggested that many trainee doctors perform intimate examinations on anaesthetised patients without their consent.
Source: Yvette Coldicott, Catherine Pope and Clive Roberts, 'The ethics of intimate examinations - teaching tomorrow's doctors', British Medical Journal 11.1.03
Links: Article
Date: 2003-Jan
