Biobanks and Tissue Research

The research field of biobanks and tissue research is highly promising. Many projects around the globe are involved in the collection of human tissue and health data for research purposes. These initiatives are driven by the perspective of decisive breakthroughs in the knowledge of the genetic pathways involved in widespread diseases. However, there are considerable ethical and legal challenges to be considered as well. These challenges encompass the use of body material for research purposes, the misuse of genetic and other health data by third parties, trust in science and medicine, concerns.

pt. I. Biobanks, tissue research and the public. Public trust and public bodies : the regulation of the use of human tissue for research in the United Kingdom / Julie Kent, Ruud ter Meulen -- Biobanks and research : scientific potential and regulatory challenge / Bernice S. Elger, Nikola Biller-Andorno -- A sense of entitlement : individual vs. public interest in human tissue / Nils Hoppe -- Social aspects of biobanking : beyond the public/private distinction and inside the relationship between the body and identity / Federico Neresini -- pt. II. The rights of donors and patients. One sample, one share! A proposal to redress an inequity with equity / Jasper Adriaan Bovenberg -- Research on human biological materials : what consent is needed, and when / Eugenijus Gefenas, Vilius Dranseika, Asta Cekanauskaite, Jurate Serepkaite -- Reconsidering consent and biobanking / Emma Bullock, Heather Widdows -- What's wrong with forensic uses of biobanks? / Claudio Tamburrini -- pt. III. Regulation of tissue research. A unified European approach on tissue research and biobanking? A comparison / Katharina Beier, Christian Lenk -- Ireland and the United Kingdom's approaches to regulation of res…