101 UK Brexit Notes

Connemara Programme October 16 2018 pg. 143 What you would need to do Members of the public These changes will not affect the availability of organs or the safety or quality of organs, tissues and cells in the UK as the current standards will be maintained. Organs for transplantation NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), which is the organisation responsible for organ donation and transplantation in the UK, is currently working with the UK regulator for organs, the HTA, to ensure that appropriate written agreements are in place with EU organisations to allow organ exchange to continue post-exit. Transplant centres do not need to take any further action. If there’s no deal, on 29 March 2019 the UK would meet the current EU safety and quality standards for organs, and these would be traceable from donor to recipient and from recipient to donor. After exit day, the UK and EU countries would consider each other as third countries. The EU directive 2010/53/EU allows for organ exchange between EU countries and third countries. Organisations that currently exchange organs can make written arrangements to ensure organs can still move between the UK and EU countries. Tissues and cells for human use, including reproductive cells If there’s no deal, on 29 March 2019 tissues and cells from the UK would meet the current EU safety and quality standards. After exit day, the UK and EU countries would consider each other as third countries. The EU directives 2004/23/EC and 2015/566 allow for written agreements to be made to import and export tissues and cells for human use between EU countries and third countries. The details of what these written agreements cover are set out in EU directive 2015/566. Licensed establishments that import or export tissues or cells would need written agreements with the relevant EU licensed establishments to continue importing and exporting. UK licensed establishments that already hold an import licence to import tissues and cells from third countries can use their existing written agreements with third country organisations as a template. Licensed establishments are recommended to consult the HTA and HFEA for more information. Further information on the agreement process will be published in November. The government continues to plan for all negotiation outcomes, and will make the necessary changes to national regulations to maintain day one operability for the import and export of organs, tissues and cells in the unlikely event there is no agreement between the UK and the EU.