Ethical Policy
Ethical Policy for the Supply of Human Tissue and Cells
We believe that corporations have a duty to act responsibly in the way they interact with people and the environment. Our commitment to you, our customers, business partners and suppliers, is that we will act with the highest standards of integrity and transparency. We recognise that all our actions have a social, economic, and environmental consequence, and we will always promote good and avoid harm.
Caltag works in partnership with a small number of carefully selected suppliers in sourcing human and animal tissue and cells. We are committed to operating under the highest ethical and legal standards in the procurement of these materials and are licensed by the Human Tissue Authority (License Number 12672) to procure, process and store human tissue in the UK.
All our tissues suppliers must provide evidence that they meet the necessary quality standards, are compliant with the Declaration of Helsinki and/or the principles of ICH GCP, and that they obtain informed consent, either directly or through an authorised agent acting on the donor's behalf. Each informed consent form must be written to consider the specific type of biological material being donated and to communicate the intended research uses to the potential donor. Suppliers must commit to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of individuals who act as donors.
Caltag provides a complete service for importing animal derived products that are subject to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). We will guide you through the whole process of obtaining export and import licences, liaising with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), and coordinating with specialist couriers to ensure your shipment will process through UK Border Control.
We review suppliers annually to ensure continued compliance with the policies stated above and those who fail to meet the standards will not be represented by CML.
You, the customer, confirm that:
- If required, you are registered with the HTA to receive and store human tissues.
- Materials will not be used in human subjects, or administered to human subjects in clinical trials, or for diagnostic purposes involving human subjects.
- Materials will only be used only in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and in compliance with the recipients' applicable policies on human subject research.
Human Tissue FAQ Download our full Ethical Policy
