title: Trusted consent and research biobanks: towards a 'new alliance' between researchers and donors.
abstract: We argue that, in the case of research biobanks, there is a need to replace the currently used informed consent with trusted consent. Accordingly, we introduce a proposal for the structure of the latter. Further, we discuss some of the issues that can be addressed effectively through our proposal. In particular, we illustrate: i) which research should be authorized by donors; ii) how to regulate access to information; iii) the fundamental role played by a Third Party Authority in assuring compliance with the reciprocal expectations and obligations of donors and scientists. Finally, we briefly analyse two issues that might represent important elements of a 'new alliance' between researchers and donors to which the trusted consent could pave the way: i) the correlations between needs and rights of the two parties, and ii) possible economic transactions.
authors.affiliation: University of Milano. giovanni.boniolo@ifom-ieo-campus.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boniolo
authors.forename: Pier Paolo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Di Fiore
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pece
mesh_terms: D018070:Biological Specimen Banks / Q000941:ethics; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics*; D032962:Consent Forms; D006801:Humans; D014019:Tissue Donors; D035502:Trust