Research biobanks: ethical and legal considerations

A biobank is a collection of biological samples and associated data intended for diagnostic, therapeutic or research use. The activities carried out by biological specimen banks entail several ethical and legal dilemmas hence there are various norms and recommendations established to safeguard donor's rights at international level, however in Colombia there is not specific regulation of biobanks for research purposes. The purpose of this article is to review the existing literature, both international and national, on the ethical and legal issues on biobanks for scientific research. The adaptation of the international requirements would be the first step towards the implementation of ethical and legal standards of biobanks in Colombia, however it is necessary the establishment of national regulations that control the activities of such biobanks and contributed to Colombian society active participation.