Human Genome Banks and Its Legal and Ethical Challenges

Human genome project with its advent has brought more challenges to legal and ethical fields. Recently drastic developments have been obtained in genetics area; in a way that present century is called genome century. Many studies are continuously carrying out finding the genetic reason of disease, at the moment. To do such studies and disease genetic mechanism investigation, more suitable biologic samples are needed, which requires creating genetic banks. To do genetic studies, clinical diagnosis, scientific and therapeutic researches biological samples of human are used. The thing which is of great importance in these studies is samples and information keeping method for different term periods in bio banks. Genetic information and samples are not necessarily specific for sample donors, rather these samples include his family members too. Hence genetic banks involve all ethical, cultural, economic, social and legal and … aspects of human life. So genetic bank's activities should be defined in an ethical and legal framework and carried out based on human rights principles. In spite of providing valuable services in genetic and clinical fields, Establishing genetic banks are faced with different challenges including discrimination in employment and insuring, preserving individuals’ privacy, confidentiality of information, racism, commercial abuse of these banks…, etc.