ISSN: 2474-9214
Authors: Estella TF*, Fokunang Charles, Galega Samgena, Fon, Forsuh Fielding, Bolima Sylvia Forsuh and Abena Obama MT
Human biological material has become of increasing important in the conduct of clinical research worldwide. The use in Africa and other parts of low income economy in general and Cameroon in particular, faces a lot of ethical and legal challenges. This review gives an insight into some of the ethical and legal issues relating to the ownership and commercial use of biological material derived from humans for biomedical and clinical research. Tan overview on key issues that examine the general notion of ownership, and guide and regulation in human biological material use is outlined. Examples are drawn from samples of cord blood donated for eventual transplantation and which are found unsuitable for storage and transplantation, or which become unsuitable while stored in bio-banks. The cord-blood units in hospitals can be discarded together with other biological waste, or they can be used for research or the development of blood-derived products such as platelet gel. Several ethical questions are presented (such as, informed consent, property, distribution of profits, and others) arise from these circumstances. In this regard, some criteria and limitation for use and guidelines are needed in the different structures.
Keywords: Human Biological Specimen Ethical Issues; Clinical Research; Informed Consent; Regulation
