Zoltán Veréb, PhD, MSc
ACF head of USZ Biobank, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary

Keywords: biobanks, informed consent, data privacy, personalized medicine

Biobanking has emerged as a cornerstone of pharmaceutical research, drug development, and precision medicine, providing an essential platform for advancing therapeutic innovations. By granting researchers access to high-quality human biological specimens—including tissues, blood, and DNA—biobanks facilitate the study of disease mechanisms at a molecular level, enabling the identification of biomarkers and expediting drug discovery. These resources are invaluable for developing targeted therapies and enhancing personalized medicine approaches, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Despite its transformative impact, biobanking presents complex ethical and legal challenges that must be carefully navigated. Informed consent remains a fundamental issue, requiring transparent communication to ensure donors fully understand how their specimens and associated data will be utilized. Data privacy and security concerns are also increasingly critical, given the sensitive nature of genetic and health-related information. Without stringent safeguards, there is a risk of data misuse, discrimination, or breaches of confidentiality, undermining public trust in biobanking initiatives.

Moreover, ensuring equitable access to biobank resources is paramount to promoting diversity in research and avoiding disparities in healthcare advancements. Underrepresentation of certain populations in biobank collections may lead to biased findings and limit the generalizability of biomedical discoveries. Ethical frameworks must, therefore, emphasize inclusivity and benefit-sharing to ensure that all populations can reap the rewards of scientific progress.

As biobanking expands, integrating rigorous ethical standards with its operational practices is crucial to fostering responsible, transparent, and equitable research in life sciences, ultimately driving innovation while upholding public confidence.