Meeting of Experts of the Regensburg HTCR Foundation
At the meeting of experts of the foundation in Munich all the specialists were in agreement: The huge potential for discarded human tissue in clinics must be better used for medical and pharmaceutical research. Until now tissue which is removed routinely from patients in the framework of clinical and interventional processes, following the completion of examination or treatment is generally “discarded”, namely disposed of professionally. The use of human tissue in research will be of increasing importance in the future, if the transition from basic research to clinical application is to be sped up and thereby make the development of medicines more effective and safer. In particular if in parallel to the tissue, information about the donor, e.g. their medical history is documented, this allows any existing gaps in research to be closed. In such cases in addition to scientific interests, financial, ethical and legal requirements must quite clearly be taken into account. The patient must be informed and consent sought. Particular attention must be dedicated to the protection of data and transparency about what is happening with the tissue. The Regensburg Foundation HTCR has been exemplary in its actions in this respect since 2000.
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