Information for Patients
Donating to the biobank
To be part of a research study, trial, or to donate samples for research purposes, you need to provide informed consent. A sample could be solid or liquid, for example part of your tumour, or blood. For sample donation, this usually involves taking leftover samples which have been taken as part of your routine treatment. This allows researchers to use your samples for their work.
This process is highly controlled, and researchers are not allowed to do anything without your consent.
We have different patient information sheets and consent forms depending on your diagnosis – those information sheets are at the bottom of this page.
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs
This section will explain some often asked questions about the biobanking process. If you are interested in donating samples to the MCRC biobank, please contact the-christie.biobank@nhs.net or ask your specialist to give you more information.
No.
Biobanks require ethical approvals for their work, and some collect ‘control samples’ from healthy volunteers. Lots of research programmes around Greater Manchester and the UK need healthy volunteers.
So if you’re interested in donating a sample, get in contact with the Biobank to find out more!
Giving consent to the Biobank is completely optional. You can also decide what sort of research you give your consent to and which samples you would like to donate.
If you decline consent, this will not impact your treatment.
Yes.
You are in control of your samples. If you change your mind, you have the option to ask for your samples to be destroyed.
If your sample has already been used in a research project, we cannot undo that. We can, however, guarantee that it will not be used again.
No.
They are different processes – part of your sample will go to the hospital for your clinical care, and part will go to researchers if you consent.
Researchers use ‘extra’ or ‘leftover’ samples – your care/treatment will always come first.
Consenting is done by one of a few people – usually a biobank technician, a nurse, or doctor.
It is their job to explain the process and answer any questions that you have. If you want to know more information about the process, read the documents below, or speak to your clinical team.
This depends. Samples are often stored in wax or put in freezers at -180 degrees. This means that they can last for decades, up to 30 years.
However, you can withdraw your consent at any time if you change your mind.
Researchers sometimes need fresh samples, so we always welcome new donors.
No.
Sample donations are given as a ‘gift’. Ethically, offering money to donors is complex. If we offer money for samples, it could create financial pressures on individuals to give money, and effectively ‘selling’ their samples.
Every major medical discovery which has been made through research has come as a result of the samples which researchers have been able to use. We are extremely grateful for every sample which is donated, and thank you for considering it.
Maybe – it depends what you want.
Researchers work with companies in their research, and sometimes this means that the MCRC Biobank shares samples with them.
However, you decide. On the consent form, there is a section which talks about commercial studies and you can say no if you want.
Historically, there were fewer legal protections for patients, and researchers were able to be much freer than today.
Following the Human Tissue Act in 2004, researchers have lots of legal obligations to ensure that your samples and personal information is kept safe. This is governed by the Human Tissue Authority, who regularly inspect facilities, and have the power to sanction or shut down research organisations who are breaking the law.
Samples are used on a range of projects and the biobank team manages them. They need to make sure that your personal information is safe.
Whilst the Biobank team has your information, individual researchers do not know who the sample belongs to because the samples are anonymised.
Personal details, including your name, are not given to the research team, and they have no idea who you are.
About the MCRC Biobank
Accessing the MCRC Biobank
Human Tissue Governance
Contact the MCRC Biobank
