Statement on the use and sources of human tissue in experiments at Imperial

Imperial responds to Mail on Sunday report

Following an insensitive and highly misleading report in the Mail on Sunday on Sunday 2 November 2014, Imperial has made the statement below regarding the use and sources of human tissue in experiments. The Royal British Legion has made its own statement deploring the Mail on Sunday’s article, which is copied at the bottom. 

Imperial College London statement: 

Imperial College London is proud to partner with The Royal British Legion and lead important research for the benefit of all those who serve in armed forces. 

The Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies at Imperial aims to develop better ways of protecting those serving in current and future conflicts and improve the treatment of those who are injured.

Through better understanding the devastating effects of explosive devices and by influencing the design of equipment used by armed forces, the Centre is making a difference to the survival and quality of life of those serving in conflicts. Read more about the Centre’s work. 

All human tissue used in the course of research at the Centre – whether from the UK or overseas - has been donated to medical science, with full informed consent, by either the donor or their relatives.  These are very valuable donations, without which we would not be able to understand and reduce the injuries sustained by servicemen and women, and we are hugely grateful to all the donors. 

The use of human tissue in studies at the Centre is subject to regulation by the Human Tissue Act 2004 (see below). As provided for in this Act, and depending on the nature of the research, organisations other than the Human Tissue Authority regulate the actual research on human tissue and in the case of the Centre for Blast Injury Studies this has been via an NHS Health Research Authorities Research Ethics Committee. 

Regulatory, consent and ethical requirements have to be met for all tissue used, regardless of donor nationality. The Centre does not encounter any difficulty in sourcing such tissue for these important experiments. 

The College has not refused to name tissue suppliers. As the journalist has known since Wednesday 29 October, his enquiry is being handled as a Freedom of Information request. This is being done to balance transparency with the need to inform and consult affected third parties before release of information. 

The College has not received any question asking about the specifics of donor consent and it is misleading to report that it has refused to answer such questions. The third paragraph above, supplied to the journalist on Friday 24 October, makes clear the College’s position:  All human tissue used in the course of the Centre’s research – whether from the UK or overseas - has been donated to medical science, with full informed consent, by either the donor or their relatives.   

Royal British Legion statement: 

The Royal British Legion deplores the Mail on Sunday's cynical attempt to discredit our funding of vital scientific research aimed at improving outcomes for British Armed Forces personnel attacked by explosive devices. 

The research conducted at The Royal British Legion Centre for Blast Injury Studies at Imperial College London will create world-leading breakthroughs in the prevention, mitigation and responses to explosive injuries. 

By necessity, a small portion of this research involves human tissues which are ethically, responsibly, and consensually sourced from legitimate suppliers. 

For the Mail on Sunday to term this as a "macabre trade in human legs and feet" is sensational, false, and deeply offensive. We condemn its report and believe that the British public will support this necessary and life-altering research.