Assessment of biobank awareness among medical students in Iran

BackgroundDespite the rise of research biobanks in the Middle East, they continue to struggle with the limited number of donors. Although qualified healthcare professionals may address it, the awareness of biobanks among future physicians is low. This paper assesses the attitudes towards research biobanks among Iranian medical students.Methods459 medical students completed an anonymous self-administered online questionnaire regarding the knowledge and attitudes of future physicians towards biobanking.ResultsThis study demonstrates that almost half of the students had not heard about biobanks, and one-third had mixed feelings about biobank research. The majority declared a willingness to share their biological material for biobank research and declared altruistic motivation. Students' willingness to donate was influenced by the type of tissues, the purpose of biobank research and trust in biobanks, which influenced their preference for a study-specific consent model. Students expressed concern over biospecimens' unethical or commercial use and data safety.ConclusionThis research shows that promoting knowledge about biobank-based research among future physicians in Iran is crucial.