All human specimens provided via Tissue for Research Ltd (doing business as Accio Biobank Online) have been collected according to the legal and ethical requirements of the US, as this is where our partner sites are located.
Depending on the policy of the collection site, IRB approval and patient/ donor consent may or may not be in place. We will always be clear about the conditions under which specimens are being made available, so that our research clients can decide which of our sources to work with.
Specimens from deceased donor body donation programs do not require IRB approval, but do require consent.
Specimens (such as blood) from clinical patients, where not made available as waste materials surplus to diagnostic requirements, require patient consent and IRB approval. Specimens provided surplus to diagnostic requirements, without identifying data, from patients living at the time of draw or resection, do not legally require patient consent in the US.
Many of our partner collection sites go over and above these legal requirements.
Patient care always comes first, and no specimens are collected that could compromise clinical care, or impinge upon organ or tissue availability for transplant.
Our US network of partner collection sites includes hospitals, body donation centers and organ procurement organizations. We are happy to provide blank copies of patient consent forms and IRB approvals wherever available for our clients to review.
