Transplantation of human cells, tissues or organs saves many lives and restores essential functions where no alternatives of comparable effectiveness exist.

The transplantation of haematopoietic stem cells can cure congenital or acquired diseases including some leukaemias  (haematopoietic stem cells can be collected from living donors, either as bone marrow or from peripheral blood. Additionally, they may be collected as cord blood drawn from the placenta during or after delivery.) The transplantation of a human heart valve often constitutes the best replacement situation and recipient patients do not require long term anti-coagulation therapy.

In the consent for donation, professionals should provide the necessary information regarding the intended use of the tissues and the process. Human cells and tissues for transplantation represent a special class of basic essential healthcare products, as well as being the potential starting material for much more complex biotechnology products in the future. As with all transplanted material of human origin they carry risks of disease transmission which must be controlled by the application of stringent donor selection criteria and comprehensive quality systems.

In 50 years, transplantation has become a successful worldwide practice. However, there are large differences between countries in access to suitable transplantation and in the level of safety, quality, efficacy of donation and transplantation of human cells, tissues and organs. The ethical aspects of transplantation are at the forefront. In particular, the unmet patients’ needs and the shortage of transplants lead to the temptation of trafficking in human body components for transplantation.