Professor Tamara Hervey:

In the first instance, it is a matter of understanding the scale of the issue and where the potential gaps are likely to arise. There is some concern in the UK that Scotland and Wales will have problems with blood or plasma supply because of the way the interactions among the various health services in the UK work in respect of substances of human origin. From memory, I do not believe that the Scottish Parliament had a satisfactory answer to that question. Not many European nations are self-sufficient in plasma, although some are self-sufficient in blood, which may be another aspect to consider.

The organisations that arrange collaboration in respect of sharing human organs within the EU are formally and legally outside of the EU's structures, and therefore they could continue doing so post Brexit. Thus far, as far as I can see, they have been entirely under the radar, which is probably a safe place for them to be, politically speaking. A number of other organisations are outside of the EU's structures, such as Erasmus+, which is not under the radar and is fully within media and political sight. Such aspects must be considered at a much more granular level.

Human tissue is mainly used in research contexts. It is a matter of ensuring that the legal provisions are in place when the UK is a third country in order that tissue and data can be lawfully shared with a third country. The EU is already doing that.