The Human Tissue Authority and Saviour Siblings

Abstract

It is widely accepted that a child under the age of eighteen can donate his or her bone marrow to a sick sibling in the hope of saving their life. The Human Tissue Authority in the United Kingdom has published guidelines (currently under review) relating specifically to the harvest of blood and tissues from children, but the law has not yet confirmed the validity of such procedures. Younger donors require parental consent which can be highly subjective given the circumstances, and a Gillick consent from an older child is not confirmed in law as applicable to non-therapeutic medical procedures. This article suggests that the current child donation procedures under the Human Tissue Authority are not legally tenable and do not support the welfare of the child.