Islamic Bioethics: Biobanking
Islamic Bioethics: Biobanking
- Mamoun AhramMamoun AhramDepartment of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Jordan
- and Khalid Bani AhmadKhalid Bani AhmadIndependent
Summary
Biobanks are biomedical research facilities that aim to collect biological specimens and relevant information for future research initiatives. Examples of biospecimens include blood, saliva, and urine, as well as tissue biopsies. Biobanks collate information that includes the personal and clinical data of individuals and provide researchers with high-quality samples in order, for example, to discover causes of diseases and identify the various factors that are associated with certain diseases. It can be argued that biobanks are permissible in Islam, but they should be under strict control by qualified authorities. In addition, since the effects of biobanks go beyond the domain of medicine and since they can influence society as a whole, their governance must be regulated by an independent body comprising experts in different fields, including Islamic jurisprudents.
Subjects
- Islamic Studies
- Religion and Science
