Biospecimen User Fees: Global Feedback on a Calculator Tool.

Area of Science:

• Biobanking and biospecimen research
• Health research infrastructure
• Cost attribution models

Background:

• User fees for biospecimens are frequently discussed but not well-described.
• Factors influencing fees include costs, demand, and competition.
• Standardization of biospecimen pricing is needed for equitable research access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the applicability of a biospecimen user fee calculator.
• To evaluate the impact of a standardized tool on fee consistency.
• To explore harmonization strategies for biobanking cost attribution.

Main Methods:

• A global survey of cancer and non-cancer biobank users.
• Participants estimated fees for hypothetical scenarios.
• Fees were recalculated using CTRNet's online biospecimen user fee calculator.

Main Results:

• Estimated user fees varied significantly among participants.
• Calculated fees using the tool showed reduced pricing variation.
• Results align with previous studies on tumor biobanks.

Conclusions:

• A biospecimen user fee calculator aids in standardizing costs.
• The tool can reduce fee discrepancies for researchers.
• Biobank networks can utilize such calculators for harmonization efforts.