What are the ethics for the use of human physiological liquids after performing the requested analysis, in other words if some patients perform routine analysis of blood, urine, seminal liquid etc? Is it possible to re-use the excesses of these fluids to perform some analysis for research purposes? What are the ethical limitations?
It is not ethical to use the physiological samples given for specified analysis for the purpose of research with out the consent of the patient/donor.
Kanjana, PSGCAS
I am not sure the 'reuse' part is feasible. This is because, each experiment requires a specific set of protocol, condition in which it will be collected, age, sex, time of collection, storage procols, etc. Normally for clinical purposes, the samples are analized right away. However, during research studies, samples are stored at a particular temperature, for particular time, and then analyzed together. If you consider all these conditions, those samples cannot be utilized for research purpose. For example, time of the day has effect on the circadian (24h paramerters) of biochemical and physiological aspects of the rhythm.
We take sample as needed and not in excess that can be utilized for research purpose. Above all, IRB consent. People have to consent to participate in research and wiling to contribute blood, saliva, or urine for research or genetic purposes.
Regarding the human laboratory waste or excess samples, these can not be used for the purpose other than the intended use. That means the patients have given these samples only for your laboratory do the specific tests, if you need to use those remaining samples for research purpose you have to take the consent from individual patients. Anyway you have to follow the instructions given by your local ethical committee, if you have one.
There is clear set of guidelines for the use of human samples for the research purposes, this is set forth invariably by the ethics committee/IRB in most of the research institutes.
For the use of samples collected for one purpose (Diagnostics) must be used for the same purpose unless and until the researcher reveals to the subject and get the consent from the persons involved , that the researcher is going to use the samples for the research studies.
Ideally, it is always better to set the protocol for the intended research studies and not to mix the issue of diagnostics and research purposes together to avoid any unethical and regulatory conflicts.
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