HUM-MOLGEN DIAGnostics/Clinical
Research
24/1/96
HMGN POLICY ON REQUESTS
FOR HUMAN SPECIMENS/ III MAILING
A POLICY ON REQUESTS FOR HUMAN SPECIMENS
A debate has been ongoing among HMG editors on how to process requests
for specimens (blood, DNA, cells.....) from patients/donors, posted on
HMG. This problem stems from the global and innovative nature of HMG. While
the debate is continuing, this editor thinks it is necessary to observe
a minimal standard regarding the issues of study approval and protection
against identification (of a certain individual through the specimen obtained).
Therefore this editor assumes that any request for human specimens, 1)
originates from studies with at least an IRB approval, 2) the samples will
be effectively protected against identification of the patient/donor, and
3) the IRB approval contemplates the possibility of soliciting and obtaining
samples from institutions other that the home institution and from other
countries. Alternatively, the message should state that samples can be
sent only from a restricted number of countries. Regarding the human specimens
being sent/received, HMG implies that: "Appropriate consent was obtained,
for use of this material, and it should be understood that information
about this sample will be stored in a database without identification of
the individual from whom they were derived." (This sentence was supplied
by Jeanne C. Beck, NIGMS Human Genetic Mutant Cell Repository, in conjunction
with NIH). It is the responsibility of the individual sending the request,
to verify that the above mentioned requirements are met; the mailing of
the request to HMG implies full acceptance of these guidelines.
Carlo Gambacorti
MD, Editor, Human Molecular Genetics Network Diagnostics/Clinical Research
Section