The use of human tissues in research: what do we owe the research subjects?

In the past decade, there have been a number of highprofile legal cases that have involved the removal of human blood samples from the hands of researchers. 7 In one case, more than 5 × 10^sup 6^ dried blood spots from infants were destroyed after a suit was filed that challenged the state of Texas&...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical chemistry (Baltimore, Md.) Md.), 2011-04, Vol.57 (4), p.540-544
Main Authors: Gronowski, Ann M, Moye, Jr, Jack, Wendler, David S, Caplan, Arthur L, Christman, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological samples
Biomedical Research
Blood
Compensation and Redress
Ethics, Research
Human subjects
Humans
Infants
Informed Consent
Research Subjects
Studies
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Summary:In the past decade, there have been a number of highprofile legal cases that have involved the removal of human blood samples from the hands of researchers. 7 In one case, more than 5 × 10^sup 6^ dried blood spots from infants were destroyed after a suit was filed that challenged the state of Texas' right to store infant blood spots for use in future research. With the recent publication of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, about a women who unknowingly provided the first immortal human cells grown in culture (HeLa cells), the topic of informed consent is now being discussed by book clubs in living rooms and coffee shops across the country. Constructing a framework for the use of biological samples around a common assumption that human tissue is a common heritage of humanity to be used for the collective good might help to prevent disputes regarding both specimens that have been obtained specifically for research and leftover specimens collected for clinical purposes.
ISSN:0009-9147
1530-8561
DOI:10.1373/clinchem.2010.154989