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Croatian Medical Journal, Vol. 52 No. 3, 2011.

Review article

Ethical aspects of human biobanks: a systematic review

Danijela Budimir ; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Ozren Polašek ; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Ana Marušić ; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Ivana Kolčić ; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Tatijana Zemunik ; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Vesna Boraska ; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Ana Jerončić ; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Mladen Boban ; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Harry Campbell ; Public Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Igor Rudan ; Croatian Centre for Global Health, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia

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Abstract

Aim To systematically assess the existing literature on ethical
aspects of human biobanks.
Method We searched the Web of Science and PubMed
databases to find studies addressing ethical problems in
biobanks with no limits set (study design, study population,
time period, or language of publication). All identified
articles published until November 2010 were included. We
analyzed the type of published articles, journals publishing
them, involvement of countries/institutions, year of publication,
and citations received, and qualitatively assessed
every article in order to identify ethical issues addressed by
the majority of published research on human biobanking.
Results Hundred and fifty four studies satisfied our review
criteria. The studies mainly came from highly developed
countries and were all published in the last two decades,
with over half of them published in 2009 or 2010.
They most commonly discussed the informed consent,
privacy and identifiability, return of results to participants,
importance of public trust, involvement of children, commercialization,
the role of ethics boards, international data
exchange, ownership of samples, and benefit sharing.
Conclusions The focus on ethical aspects is strongly present
through the whole biobanking research field. Although
there is a consensus on the old and most typical ethical issues,
with further development of the field and increasingly
complex structure of human biobanks, these issues will
likely continue to arise and accumulate, hence requiring
constant re-appraisal and continuing discussion.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

71437

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/71437

Publication date:

15.6.2011.

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