title: IN SEARCH OF A FATHER: LEGAL CHALLENGES SURROUNDING POSTHUMOUS PATERNITY TESTING.
abstract: This article interrogates the workings of the Human Tissue Act 2004, as it applies to paternity testing by DNA analysis after the death of the putative father. We use a case series methodology more usually seen in medical research, through which we present three real case studies involving posthumous paternity testing of retained tissue. We argue that the criminal offence in section 45 of the Human Tissue Act 2004, which is being used to regulate this activity, is inappropriate and inadequate to do so. The threat of the shadow of the criminal law is too blunt an instrument to address the subtleties of the issues that arise in the context of posthumous paternity testing. We call for reform of the Human Tissue Act 2004 and the creation of a specific exception to properly deal with requests of this nature.
authors.affiliation: Sussex Law School, School of Law Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex, Freeman Centre, Falmer BN1 9QE, UK r.stirton@sussex.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ruth H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Stirton
authors.affiliation: Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, and Norfolk and Norwich NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000300:Adoption / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D032721:Adult Children / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D001344:Autopsy; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D055614:Genetic Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D033242:Minors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010334:Paternity; D012661:Semen; D020458:Third-Party Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006113:United Kingdom