Challenges in the evaluation of safety and efficacy of human tissue and cell based products.

Zheng, Ming H; Pembrey, Richard; Niutta, Silvana; Stewart-Richardson, Patricia; Farrugia, Albert

Human tissue and cell-based therapeutic interventions provide efficacious alternative treatment where traditional drugs or medical devices have proved unsatisfactory. Yet human tissue and cell-based products (HTC/P) still present a series of challenges regarding their safety and efficacy. By reviewing the history of development and current regulatory standards and observing activities related to the manufacture of HTC/P, we have described the common characteristics of HTC/P, including the risk of pathogen transmission, transportation methods of human tissues, quality control in HTC/P manufacturing, and the concern of ancillary materials. The ethical issues of cadaveric donation and clinical trial standards for HTC/P have also been discussed. Overall, we have provided a general standard, which articulates the essential requirements on the safety and efficacy of HTC/P.