What is the National Bio-Banking Program?

Acknowledging the importance of genetic research, the scientists have begun collecting DNA samples and other useful accompanying information and used them in an attempt to improve human health.
When we refer to bio-banking, we talk about collecting biological material from human populations, indefinitely or for a specified period of time, in order to use it for research development, medical care or therapeutic activities.
Nowadays, we are dealing with an increasing bio-banking activity in all countries, as few samples are discarded and genetic research is proliferating.
There are also big collections of human samples, but many of them are of small size.
The economically developed countries, store up to 4 million human samples every year for medical use.
These samples are bio-banked for a number of scientific reasons.
By doing so, scientists can compare present and earlier samples from the same person, or from other patients suffering from similar diseases, they can perform additional tests on old samples when new technologies are made available.
Bio-banking also allows checking quality of laboratory analysis.
On a national scale, bio-banking became of utmost importance, as the samples stored during routine medical care are largely used for epidemiological and genetic studies on the etiology of human diseases.
Thus, it is possible to control epidemic infectious diseases by planning protection and vaccination programs.
It is also possible that human samples may be collected just for research.
These bio-banks used for research can be based on samples taken from the population, and used in studies of different kinds of diseases, like common national diseases and cancer diseases.
The research-aimed bio-banks contain only selected tissue samples analyzed through specific disease research programs.
There are many ethical and legal debates about bio-banking.
As the personal integrity of the persons who provided the samples should always be respected, this kind of research is performed under the strict supervision of an ethical committee.
The members of this committee must judge upon the importance of the research for human health and ensure that the risks that the people involved in the program are exposed to are minimal.
The patients must be informed upon the storage of their samples, as well as about the purpose of storing them.
They must give their sample storage consent, which can consequently change at any time.
Although most of us don't know anything about this kind of research being carried out, it is needless to say how important a national bio-banking program is for the human being.