Mapping the Biobank Landscape in Greece

Abstract

The biobank landscape in Greece is mainly defined by tissue and data collections created in the course of clinical practice whose samples are subsequently repurposed for research. Given that there is no specific Greek biobank law, these collections have been so far governed through provisions drawn from the domestic civil and constitutional legal armamentarium concerning (biomedical) research as well as soft and hard EU and international laws. This chapter provides an empirical overview of the biobank landscape in Greece, describing existing biobanks and tissue collections potentially used for research in a non-exhaustive manner. Next, it explores how the Greek Law on the Protection of Personal Data envisages individuals’ rights in the context of biobanking research and how these rights are weighted against the public interest. Finally, it evaluates the potential impact of the GDPR on biobanking in Greece.