Abstract:

Objective: Definition of human biological material (HBM), use of HBM in research and its importance, collection of HBMs, categorization, management, and destruction of the materials evaluated both national and international level and corporation is made between them. Also, the HBM used in scientific research within the framework of international documents and legal regulations in Turkey are examined and evaluated in terms of medical ethics and law.  Methods: International and national regulations, declerations, articles, books and international guidelines were examined.  Results: HBMs are commonly obtained during routine surgical procedures or through direct donation by an individual. HBMs have long studied to increase knowledge about human diseases and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases. Much progress in healthcare has been achieved by such research. Nowadays, new technologies and advances in biomedical field provide even more effective tools for such using resources to improve medicine’s diagnostic and therapeutical potential. Although, many ethical issues overlap between the realms of research and clinical medicine, the ethics concerns research on HBMs are not identical to those arising in the diagnostic and therapeutic context. The most salient ethical values implicated by the use of HBMs in research are beneficence, non-maleficence, fidelity and trust within the fiduciary investigator/participant relationship, personal dignity, and autonomy pertaining to both informed consent, voluntary, competent decision making and the privacy of personal information. Conclusion: The research on HBMs presents many ethical dilemmas and regulations at both national and international levels are needed.

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