Biobanks

RD 1716/2011, of 18 November, which establishes the functioning of biobanks, defines these facilities as (public or private) establishments that contain biological samples of human origin for use in biomedical research, and which serve to share these samples among the interested researchers. Depending on their public-service vocation, they must obtain the consent of the donors of the samples on the basis of full disclosure of the above information and broadly defined terms regarding the use and the objective of the research that will take place there. The degree of open-endedness of this consent will vary according to the aims of the biobank and will be specified in the corresponding informed consent document (sample).