What is a biobank?
A biobank is a repository of data or biological tissues. It contains genetic, medical, biochemical or genealogical data and data related to these tissues are sometimes added to the database. Biobanks are methodically organized to facilitate clinical or research use. The ‘Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec’ (FRSQ), in its proposed Governance Framework for Data Banks and Biobanks Used for Health Research (2006), defines a bank as “a systematic collection of data or of biological material that may be used for health research”. In Quebec, according to the Commission de l’éthique de la science et de la technologie (CEST), biobanks exist according to various characteristics. Some contain tissues such as DNA, tissues from the brain or heart donated following death, or cells. The information contained in databases also varies. It can be genetic, proteomic (pertaining to proteins) or medical. Psychological or social information can also be added to this data.
