Attitudes of the Public Toward Consent for Biobank Research in Japan

Parallel to the rapid advancement of biological and information technologies, the role and forms of biobank research have been constantly changing. The ethical, legal, and social implications of consent in biobank research are in a state of flux. This study aimed to clarify current Japanese public preferences regarding the consent model and explore how public attitudes are determined. We conducted an online, population-based quantitative survey among Japanese residents aged between 20 and 69 years. Statistical analyses consisted of univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Of the 1580 respondents, 60.9% preferred autonomy-based consent (specific or dynamic consent) and 23.9% preferred broad-type consent (opt-out or broad consent). Marital status, gender, and privacy concerns were significantly associated with the preference for a consent model. Our results demonstrated the public's current preference for autonomy-based consent, including dynamic consent. However, our findings also revealed that approximately half of the respondents considered broad consent as somewhat preferable.