Biobanks: Governance in Comparative Perspective

Taking a different approach to biobanks - genetic databases that combine genetic information derived from blood samples with personal data about environment, medical history, lifestyle or genealogy, this book draws attention to their political and governance implications. It argues that for biobanks to be created, shaped, maintained, and to operate properly, a number of interrelated conditions need to exist, from legal environment to funding mechanisms and social acceptance. The book takes a comparative focus, with chapters on biobanks in Iceland, Estonia, Scandinavia, France, US, Japan, UK, Germany, Australia and Israel, and is divided into three parts which: introduce the conceptual framework that underpins the volume focus on biobanks as a challenge for governance emphasize biobanks as a tool and site for governance. This groundbreaking book makes clear that biobanks are a phenomenon that cannot be disconnected from considerations of power, politics, and thereshaping of current practices in governance. It will be a valuable read for scholars and students of genetics, bioethics, risk, public health and the sociology of health and illness.