Comparing Guidelines on Biobanks: Emerging Consensus and Unresolved Controversies
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Author(s)Dr Nikola Biller-Andorno , University of Zürich (Unizh) . Andrea Boggio , Bryant University, USA . Mr Alexander M. Capron , University of Southern California (USC) . Dr Bernice Elger , Institute of Biomedical Ethics , Faculty of Medicine , University of Geneva (Unige) . Prof Alexandre Mauron , Institute of Biomedical Ethics , Faculty of Medicine , University of Geneva (Unige) . |
Research Project
Human Genetic Databases: Towards a Global Ethical Framework
Keywords
Biobanks - BioethicsAbstract
In this paper, we present a comparative analysis of twenty-seven policies on biobanks. The paper is structured around the three separate stages of the biobanking process (collection, storage and use of both human biological samples and data) and for each stage, we then focus on salient issues that have been debated by scholars and have been addressed by the drafters of the policies we compare. Although consensus exists on few issues and solutions, our conclusion is that existing policies do not address in sufficient detail, or do not agree on, a number of important issues raised by biobanking activities. Therefore, much empirical and theoretical work has to be done on this topic in order to highlight possible areas of disagreement on the different principles and policy arrangements and to clarify the terminology that the guidelines adopt.
File(s)
Comparing Guidelines on Bio Banks: Emerging Consensus and Unresolved Controversies
English | [215 ko] > download |