Biobanks and their Significance in the Present Medical World

Author: AngieKTurner | Posted: 28.05.2012

Whenever a discussion starts about a bank, the first image that comes to our mind is an organization dealing with the financial transaction related issues. Now, the world has seen the arrival of a new type of bank called the biobank. This type of organization deals with the saving of human body parts. These institutions collect different healthy and usable samples of human fluids and tissues and classify and store them in scientific manner so that they can be used in future. These samples are passed on to researchers or doctors in order to help living beings receive proper treatment to diseases. In the biobanks, you’ll easily come across such samples classified differently based on various grounds like age, gender, blood type and customs. Further differentiation can also be made based on conditions like environmental factors such as climate, weather etc. It may also happen that the donor was suffering from some fatal disease or was exposed to improper living conditions like exposure to radiation, asbestos, or some other substance that can affect human genes. The name of the donor always remains confidential.

These biobanks have given a new lease of life to the researchers. The specimens collected can be used to produce more strong medicines for a particular disease. Various countries like Iceland; Estonia has established banks of their own and are using them to superior effect. Many private companies are also opening such clinics. The ones produced by the pharmaceutical companies and university laboratories meant for exclusively their own works are called "mini-collections". The concept of biobanks is novel but this has also opened new horizons for smuggling of such samples. Laws have been established in those countries to curb such misdeeds..



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