Biobank: What's in a Name?

How Semantics Connotations May Influence Concerns About Donation of Biospecimens

“…2,3 Although the general population is becoming increasingly familiar with the concepts and terms used to describe human biospecimen donation, scope, intent, storage, and use, misperceptions persist. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] One source of confusion pertains to the words used to refer to facilities or structures where biospecimens are stored, by individual researchers, institutions, governments, or commercial entities. 12,13 The words biobanks and biorepositories have historically been used to describe biospecimen storage, although these labels are not without criticism.…”

“…[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] One source of confusion pertains to the words used to refer to facilities or structures where biospecimens are stored, by individual researchers, institutions, governments, or commercial entities. 12,13 The words biobanks and biorepositories have historically been used to describe biospecimen storage, although these labels are not without criticism. 12 Accordingly, alternative terms, including bioresources, biovaults, biodistributors, biolibraries, and biotrusts, have been introduced into the vernacular.…”

“…12,13 The words biobanks and biorepositories have historically been used to describe biospecimen storage, although these labels are not without criticism. 12 Accordingly, alternative terms, including bioresources, biovaults, biodistributors, biolibraries, and biotrusts, have been introduced into the vernacular. [12][13][14] At present, the labels biobank and biorepository are used interchangeably in the literature.…”

“…12 Accordingly, alternative terms, including bioresources, biovaults, biodistributors, biolibraries, and biotrusts, have been introduced into the vernacular. [12][13][14] At present, the labels biobank and biorepository are used interchangeably in the literature. However, ambiguity about the meanings underlying these two labels among the general population as well as expert stakeholders, including pathologists, biobank managers, researchers, lawyers, and ethicists, remains.…”

“…[12][13][14][15][16] However, biomedical researchers also argue that the word biobank does not aptly describe its purpose and can connote possession, hoarding, and limited access. [12][13][14][15] The word biorepository is more popular in the United States and, free from the negative connotations of biobank, viewed by scientists as positively associated with the evolution of biospecimen availability, distribution, and utilization. Among the general population, it is suggested that the word biobank can be intimidating, confusing, and misleading, as it implies that a research participant can make a withdrawal of their own sample from the bank.…”