World Union of Tissue Banking Associations (WUTBA)

To stimulate global development and harmonise best practices in tissue donation, processing, banking, transplantation and related biotherapeutic activities. The establishment of WUTBA, in 2005, was the brain child of Dr Ian Koller, then President of the European Association of Tissue Banks, who proposed the idea of a global tissue and cell banking association to the representatives of the other international association present at the 4th World Congress in Tissue Banking, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The core idea was to establish a forum to progress and harmonize best practices across the globe, and partner with the WHO in its quest for international ethical, equitable and transparent organ, cell and tissue donation and transplantation. The following are WUTBA's aims: – Establish a free association of the world’s leading organizations of tissue bank professionals; – Support ethical practices in tissue donation and transplantation, and stand against tissue trafficking; – Work at harmonizing global practices in the donor screening, procurement / recovery, and processing of human tissues; – Exchange information on events, activities, standards, regulations, education and research; – Coordinate meeting schedules and promote scientific programmes (conferences, workshops, etc.) of the member associations; – Organize, on a regular basis, world scientific meetings and workshops; – Establish a global register of tissue establishments; – Collect and publish data on tissue donation; – Collaborate in the establishment of vigilance systems for tissues for transplantation; – Support universal coding efforts for tissue allografts; – Act as a global and scientific counterpart in tissue banking for the WHO.