Human tissue research ethics and consent models: Global reflections in anatomical sciences.

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Medical Research Ethics
• Human Tissue Research

Background:

• Modern human tissue research encompasses 3-D printing, genetic analysis, digital imaging, plastination, and public display.
• These advancements raise ethical concerns regarding tissue acquisition, storage, and usage, with a particular focus on informed consent.
• An international empirical study surveyed anatomists and researchers to understand their views on ethical components in human tissue research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the perspectives of anatomists and researchers on ethical considerations in human tissue research across five countries.
• To identify current ethical challenges and gaps in policy guidelines related to human tissue research.
• To gather insights on appropriate consent models for various human tissue research contexts.

Main Methods:

• Conducted thirty in-depth Zoom interviews with participants from South Africa, USA, New Zealand, Germany, and France.
• Collected participant viewpoints on informed consent models, ethical challenges, and policy gaps in human tissue research.
• Analyzed interview data using thematic and content analysis.

Main Results:

• 57% of participants believe research on living and deceased individuals requires distinct ethical policies.
• A preference for 'broad consent' for living subjects and 'fully informed consent' for cadaveric tissue was observed.
• Identified ethical challenges include commercialization, consent for fetal tissue, and use of unconsented skeletal collections or unidentified bodies.

Conclusions:

• Contemporary human tissue research presents significant moral complexities.
• Context-specific consent models and regulatory alignment are crucial for commercialization and current research practices.
• Recommendations are proposed to address identified policy gaps concerning consent and ethical challenges in human tissue research.