History of UKTIS

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

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

In May 1995 funding from the Department of Health facilitated integration of the service with the National Poisons Centre Information Service in Newcastle upon Tyne. The service at this time was named as the National Teratology Information Service (NTIS).  The integration enabled further development of the healthcare provision and research aspects of the service, both nationally and internationally. Health services were transferred to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in April 2004.

In 2009 the service was renamed the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS) to facilitate international recognition.  In 2013, the HPA was dissolved, and commissioning of UKTIS transferred to the newly established Public Health England (PHE).

UKTIS continues to be a member of the European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS) and senior UKTIS staff are members of the Organisation of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) which involves teratology services in the USA and Canada. Together with ENTIS and OTIS, UKTIS collaborate to improve data collection and surveillance methodology in the field of reproductive toxicology.

Pat McElhatton sadly passed away on 16th July 2011. Her obituary appears in the British Pharmacology Society’s Newsletter, November 2011.