Abstract
Modern medical research depends heavily on the donation and use of human tissue and organs. Though tissue samples provide a valuable resource for research, such research can only be carried out if it satisfies particular regulations in a country and has approval from appropriate ethics committee/s [1]. Tissue retention policies in both clinical and pathological settings in Sri Lanka are still in the wilderness and academics and clinicians are at crossroads with regard to adoption and application of ethical standards in research involving tissue retention.
Highlights
Modern medical research depends heavily on the donation and use of human tissue and organs
Large scale autopsy tissue retention has not been witnessed in Sri Lanka until the last few years though tissue and organ retention in clinical practice has continued routinely with ‘informed consent’ obtained from patients in a very lax manner
The autopsy practice in Sri Lanka is guided by the provisions laid down in S.369 - S.373 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No 15 of 1979 [4]
Summary
Review of ethico-legal aspects of tissue retention in the medico-legal practice in Sri Lanka. In a situation where public awareness about tissue retention policies are at subthreshold levels, the clinicians and researchers are enjoying a wide spectrum of freedom related to retention of tissues. This has lead to professional malpractices some instances. We have gained worldwide for eye donation in the last decades of the twentieth century through the generosity of the common public It is not clear whether effective legislative amendments are going to be implemented in the near future to restructure the tissue retention policies. Secondary legislation including formal ethical guidelines laid down by academic and professional bodies will be needed to support legislation Such guidelines are still in its infancy in Sri Lanka
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