Standards & Accreditation

The Regional Tissue Bank (RTB) screens, procures, processes, preserves, and distributes allograft tissue for transplantation from cadaver donors. It also supports the bone marrow transplantation program and provides perfusion and preservation service to the Multi-Organ Transplant Program kidney and liver procurement teams. The mission of the Regional Tissue Bank is to ensure all Nova Scotians are offered the option of tissue donation and to provide safe high quality tissue products to Canadian surgical programs and patients.

Standards and Accreditation

To ensure its tissue products are safe and of high quality the RTB has implemented rigorous standards. The Regional Tissue Bank is accredited with the American Association of Tissue Bank (AATB) for all aspects of screening, procurement, processing, storage and distribution for cardiovascular, bone and skin tissues. The RTB is also in compliance with the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) and the CSA Standards for Tissue Donation and Transplantation. All RTB Specialists are required to obtain certification from the American Association of Tissue Banks.

In November 2002, the Regional Tissue Bank was the first bank in Canada to obtain ISO 9001 certification, this certificate is required to hold to a medical device license. The RTB holds a Class IV Medical Device license for the distribution of Heart Valves.

The Regional Tissue Bank is an associate member of the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA). In addition our lead Ophthalmologist, two Tissue Bank staff are Certified Eye Bank Technicians (CEBT ) with  the Eye Bank Association of America.

The RTB has been an accredited member of the  American Association of Tissue Banks for 12 years.

National Presence

The Regional Tissue Bank continues to take a leadership role in supporting tissue donation, transplantation and quality assurance on a national level sitting on several committees.

  • Canadian Blood Services (CBS) Expert Tissue Committee
  • Canadian Blood Services (CBS) CBS National Tissue Data Working Group
  • American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) Physicians Council
  • American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB ) Standards review and guidance document development
  • Legacy of Life (LOL) professional Education Working Group
  • Legacy of Life (LOL) Advisory Council