V. I. Savel'ev, M. V. Lekishvili

The analysis of fifty years activity of Russian bioimplantology has shown high expediency of using embalmed tissues in clinics of a various profile, especially at children and teenagers. It has found the reflexion in the law «About transplantation of human organs and tissues» (1992). The generalized data, reflecting practical activities of 10 Russian Federation tissue banks in the period of 1959-1999, are the confirm for that. (Table 1). However the legislation existing in Russia does not reflect difference of interests of the experts who are engaged in transplantation of organs and dealing with biological tissues. Distinctions concern processes of a donor material reception, it screening, preservation, sterilization, results of application. The most important from them include a problem and further "destiny" of transplanted organ or implantable plastic material where exists or not necessity for long time immunosuppressive therapy. From the legal, ethical and medical points of view reception of organs for transplantation looks much more responsible procedure, than a capture of those or other obiological tissues. It seems to us more useful to return to personnel arrangements, which were developed in The USSR in the early sixties last century, and to call divisions the «Preparation and conservation of biological tissue laboratories», or its simple name,« Tissue banks », bearing applied, scientific and training functions. More than 50-year-old experience of activity similar institutions in Russia allows to assert, that preservation of organs and tissues, as well as their implantation is a new and independent medical speciality, with the special organizational-legal, social and economic and technological forms of activity. The production of biological implants is doomed to become manufacture, where the activity of tissue banks will be considered from the position of maximum efficiency and advantage which is brought by similar services to the population of the Russian Federation. Possibility of preservation and development of the given direction of medicine can become the State order for the plastic biological materials, which medical institutes of the country can receive free of charge, as well as in days of Soviet Union. If all it stay, as it is now, it is not excluded, that the network of specialized establishments created once in the country on preservation and transplantation of biological tissues will be completely destroyed, and to get such materials will be necessary abroad at very high prices. The efforts of four leading tissue banks of Moscow, St.-Petersburg, Ufa and Samara in our country de-veloped the domestic charter of the Russian tissue banks association (RTBA). The main problems of associa-tion activity will be: national coordination; national standardization; an exchange of experience and cooperation; formation and training. The association can carry out following kinds of activities: scientific researches and developments in the field of natural and engineering science; public opinion studying; professional organization activities; publishing; advertising activity. The association within its competence should cooperate with all interested enterprises, public and the scientific organizations, legislative and executive authority, the foreign, international organizations and others legal and individual persons. There are all bases to hope, that within the limits of association exists an opportunity overcoming of the outlined crisis in business of medical institutions maintenance of the country with biological implants. Only this assosiation, finally, is capable to lift prestige of Russian tissue banks and fall into their production to the world level. With its help it will be possible to overcome a number of the essential problems, which else constrain further development and perfection of transplantalogical help to the population of Russia.