The ethical arguments which underpin the call for interdisciplinary collaboration are analysed. In particular, the concept of 'teamwork' is considered as well as the organisational, professional, personal and cultural obstacles that constitute the barriers to the effective development of interdisciplinary relationships.

Little is known about why patients with cancer do or do not donate their biopsied/cancerous tissue to research. A review of the literature on motivations to participate in clinical research and to donate tissues/organs for therapeutic use may provide some insights relevant to tumour banking research. While more research is necessary, a better understanding of the factors that motivate patients to give or refuse consent to tumour banking may ultimately improve consent practices, public trust and donation rates.

1Following a single oral dose of amylobarbitone sodium it has been shown that a group of young subjects convert a higher proportion of the dose to 3'-hydroxyamylobarbitone than a group of elderly subjects. 2 Twenty-four hours after the administration of the drug, the mean plasma level of amylobarbitone in the elderly group is significantly higher than in the group of young subjects. 3 It is concluded that the rate of hydroxylation of amylobarbitone sodium decreases with age.

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“Culture” can be understood as the way in which people make sense of the world by deploying shared meanings, attitudes, assumptions and values. Doctors will frequently encounter patients whose lives are guided by ethical systems and values that are different from their own. Individuals may differ in their beliefs about decision‐making, regardless of their cultural background. Doctors should be willing to examine and test their own moral systems and cultural assumptions and be open to alternative traditions and beliefs. Engaging with other cultures does not imply that all cultural norms should be accepted uncritically, as there may not always be room for compromise. Failure to engage with issues of culture can erode the trust on which the doctor–patient relationship depends. Tensions can only be resolved through rigorous attention to a person's story.