Tissue 'stripped without consent'

Mr Foreman worked at Fazakerley Hospital, now Univeristy Hospital Aintree

Glands were routinely stripped from dead bodies without consent so they could be used in research, it has been claimed.

The Department of Health has admitted that hospital workers were paid to remove pituitary glands from dead patients.

There were never any consent forms or correspondence from relatives

Fred Foreman, former mortuary assistant

But it has refused to confirm claims made by a former mortuary assistant that the practice usually took place without the knowledge or consent of grieving relatives.

The practise was exposed by Fred Foreman, who worked at Liverpool's Fazakerley Hospital in the 1960s and 1970s.

He said the glands, found just below the brain, were used to manufacture growth hormone used to treat children.

Some were also sold to pharmaceutical firms in the US for the development of fertility treatment.

Mr Foreman said although he was disturbed by the practice, it was widely accepted as part of the job.

Statutory scheme

He said: "There were never any consent forms or correspondence from relatives.

"They had no idea what was happening and would have been devastated if they had known."

A Department of Health spokesman confirmed there was a statutory countrywide scheme launched under the Human Tissue Act 1961 "which allowed pituitary glands to be taken from cadavers and used in the production of human growth hormone".

"In those days it was the only way of making human growth hormone which was given to children with very clinically stunted growth and on the whole it was very successful."

We aren't able to say, because it was a long time ago, is that consent was given in every case

Department of Health

The spokesman said as a statutory scheme, operated broadly from the late 1960's to the early 1980's, the process was "open" although issues arose around consent.

"What we aren't able to say, because it was a long time ago, is that consent was given in every case.

"Consent would have been given for the post-mortem examination to take place but I think 30 years ago the issue of consent wasn't as sharply focused as it has become over the last couple of years.

"I think it is very difficult to say in how many cases consent was expressly sought and given."

The spokesman said morticians were paid around 20p for every pituitary gland removed but could not comment on claims they were sold to US firms.

"The issue is it was a long time ago. The sorts of issues which right now are very much emotive and focused around the patient now were not in those days."

But Mr Foreman, who claims to have removed around 3,000 glands and denies being paid, said he would like to see an inquiry launched into the practice.

"When the pituitary glands were taken out I just thought that was normal. But not once was consent ever given by any relative," he alleged.

The use of human derived growth hormone treatment was halted in 1985 due to the development of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease - the human form of mad cow disease - in some patients.