Knowledge, perceptions and attitude of Egyptian physicians towards biobanking issues

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Ethics
• Biobanking Research
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Biobanking, crucial for research, involves ethical considerations in specimen and data collection.
• Physicians are key stakeholders in biobanking, interacting with participants and utilizing biobank resources.
• Understanding physician perspectives is vital for developing effective biobanking ethical guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess Egyptian physicians' perceptions and attitudes towards ethical issues in biobanking.
• To identify knowledge gaps and concerns among physicians regarding biobanking practices in Egypt.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between November 2019 and January 2020.
• The survey targeted 223 Egyptian physicians to gather data on their views on biobanking ethics.

Main Results:

• 65.5% of physicians had heard of biobanking, but only 45.7% knew about existing biobanks in Egypt.
• Physicians showed positive attitudes towards biobanks' research value and international collaboration but expressed concerns about commercialization (44% supported user fees) and broad consent (48% supported).
• A majority (73.1%) believed donors should be informed about research results from their biospecimens.

Conclusions:

• Egyptian physicians possess limited knowledge about local biobanks despite general awareness of biobanking.
• Concerns exist regarding commercialization, broad consent, and user fees, highlighting a need for targeted educational activities.
• Community discussions are recommended to establish consensus on commercialization and returning research results to donors.