About Us

UKTIS is the sole dedicated UK provider of evidence-based information on fetal risk following pharmacological and other potentially toxic pregnancy exposures. Established in London in 1983, and one of the founder members of the European Network of Teratology information Services (ENTIS), UKTIS became part of the Newcastle National Poisons Information Service in 1995.

UKTIS aims to support the appropriate use of medicines in pregnancy and to advise on management after in utero exposure to potentially harmful substances. Since 2014 UKTIS has provided a public facing website bumps – best use of medicines in pregnancy (www.medicinesinpregnancy.org), which offers an openly available library of patient information sheets to compliment the scientific evidence reviews that UKTIS produces for health care providers. Note: registration is required and freely available for NHS users.

UKTIS also contributes to global teratogen surveillance by undertaking systematic follow-up of pregnancies reported to the service. This allows fetal outcomes to be recorded and analysed with data collected by equivalent services around the world.

Details of past and current UKTIS research activities can be found here, and publications can be found here.

Mission statement

UKTIS is committed to:

  • Providing high quality evidence-based information and advice regarding the risks of drug and chemical exposure in pregnancy.
  • Educating and supporting NHS healthcare professionals in the UK in safer prescribing in pregnancy.
  • Collecting detailed outcome data on exposed pregnancies to contribute to surveillance of known and emerging teratogens.
  • Facilitating informed decision making, reducing maternal anxiety and helping to reduce the number of preventable congenital malformations.
  • Conducting world class research in the field of teratology and reproductive toxicology.

Funding

The UK Teratology Information Service is a not for profit national service commissioned by the UK Health Security Agency and hosted by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

History of UKTIS

1983 – The Teratology Information Service (TIS) was conceived at St Thomas’ Hospital, UMDS, London by the late Dr Frank Sullivan and the late Dr Patricia McElhatton.

1990 – TIS became a founder member of the European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS).

1995 – The service was renamed the National Teratology Information Service (NTIS) after funding from the Department of Health facilitated integration with the National Poisons Centre Information Service in Newcastle upon Tyne.

2004 – NTIS was incorporated into the Health Protection Agency (HPA)

2009 – The service was renamed the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS) to facilitate international recognition. The website for the service was born, www.uktis.org

2010 – Dr Laura Yates was appointed head of UKTIS.

2013 – The HPA was dissolved, and commissioning of UKTIS transferred to Public Health England (PHE).

2014 – The best use of medicines in pregnancy (BUMP) website was launched, to provide freely accessible patient information www.medicinesinpregnancy.org

2018 – Dr Ken Hodson was appointed as the head of service after Dr Laura Yates returned to her native South Africa.

2021 – UKTIS, along with other health protection functions in PHE, was transferred to the UK Health Security Agency.