What is a Biobank?

What do biobanks do?

Biobank is a collection of biological samples and associated health data. Finnish biobanks collect samples and donor-related health information from consented sample donors typically during regular laboratory and hospital visits or for specific research cohort collections.

The samples and sample-associated data are an important resource for medical research. Biobanks grant access to samples and the associated data for high-quality scientific research projects and product development aiming at understanding disease mechanisms and disease prevention and in developing new diagnostics and treatments.

After each biobank study, sample-specific raw data and analyzed results are returned to the biobank, which further enriches the information connected to the samples and serves subsequent research projects. This return gives tremendous value back to the biobanks, hospitals and universities and will help in promotion and development of new treatment methods for various diseases. 

Laws and regulations

Biobank collections differ from traditional research sample collections in that biobank are not collected to answer only one individual research question. The Biobank Act protects the rights of the donor and allows with the consent of the donor the collection and storage of samples and data in biobanks for use in various future research projects, not just ones with a predefined purpose.

Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea, or previously Valvira (National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health), directs and supervises the biobank activity in Finland and maintains a national biobank register. Only a registered biobank may engage in biobanking activities regulated by the Biobank Act. There are currently eleven registered biobanks in Finland.

Participation

Donating samples to a biobank is completely voluntary. A request to donate samples for biobank research can arrive for example by an invitation letter to a population study or by an inquiry about willingness to consent for sample donation during a hospital visit. The potential sample donors will receive detailed information about biobank research and data privacy issues, after which they can decide whether to donate their samples. Sample donors can also at any time withdraw their consent and prohibit further use of their samples.