Attitudes towards transfers of human tissue samples across borders: an international survey of researchers and policy makers in five countries.
BACKGROUND
Sharing of tissue samples for research and disease surveillance purposes has become increasingly important. While it is clear that this is an area of intense, international controversy, there is an absence of data about what researchers themselves and those involved in the transfer of samples think about these issues, particularly in developing countries.


METHODS
A survey was carried out in a number of Asian countries and in Egypt to explore what researchers and others involved in research, storage and transfer of human tissue samples thought about some of the issues related to sharing of such samples.


RESULTS
The results demonstrated broad agreement with the positions taken by developing countries in the current debate, favoring quite severe restrictions on the use of samples by developed countries.


CONCLUSIONS
It is recommended that an international agreement is developed on what conditions should be attached to any sharing of human tissue samples across borders.
Zhang
Xinqing
X
Center for Bioethics, Peking Union Medical College, China.
Matsui
Kenji
K
Krohmal
Benjamin
B
Zeid
Alaa Abou
AA
Muthuswamy
Vasantha
V
Koo
Young Mo
YM
Kita
Yoshikuni
Y
Lie
Reidar K
RK
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D001319:Authorship; D002681:China; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D018973:Intellectual Property; D007391:International Cooperation; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011050:Policy Making; D011640:Public Policy; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires