Access to Biobanks: Harmonization Across Biobank Initiatives

PURPOSE: The current study investigates whether access arrangements relevant for biobanking contain clear information on key access conditions. It furthermore assesses the extent to which these access conditions are harmonized across biobank initiatives. METHODS: A comparative analysis was conducted of access arrangements developed by 26 organizations, 36 biobank networks, and 20 biobanks worldwide. RESULTS: The study demonstrates a lack of clear information on 21 key access conditions relevant for biobanking. Furthermore, it confirms that the harmonization across biobank initiatives is limited. CONCLUSION: Many biobank initiatives need to be more transparent on how they apply the studied access conditions.