BIOBANKING

TECHNOLOGY:

Pros and Cons

of its use in
Developing
Countries like
the
Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

Technology and the Law
Arellano University School of Law
SY 2016-2017

Submitted to: Atty. Romulo L. De Grano Jr.

Submitted by: Leidi Abegail C. Bayudan
2013-0630
ABSTRACT
The introduction of Biobanking Technology in
Developing Countries in Southeast Asia like the Philippines
proved to be a success. To be exact , the advent of its First
Cancer Research Center in St. Lukes Medical Center
(SLMC) set up in 2015 is at its early stages however, it is
by no means free from facing adversities and challenges.
The Funding for the project would amass a fortune if not
for the premier health care provider like SLMC. Investors
alike would be beneficial to the continued lifespan of the

Biobanking Industry.
LIMITATIONS
The scope of this paper would be contained in the first
type of Biobanking: Biobanks for organs and tissues for
therapy and transplantation. And that the Philippines is its
main focus.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. Biobank
- a place for biological samples like human tissue,
blood, or DNA that may be used especially for future
medical research.
2. Biomarkers
- almost any interaction reflecting an interaction
between a biological system and a potential hazard,
which may be chemical, physical, or biological. The
measured response may be functional and
physiological, biochemical at the cellular level and
molecular interaction
3. Developed
- a country having a standard of living or level of
industrial production well below that possible with

financial or technical aid; a country that is not yet

highly industrialized.
4. Developing
- a nonindustrialized poor country that is seeking to
develop its resources by industrialization

BACKGROUND

What is a Biobank?
- In his Article published in the Philippine Star
Dr. Imasa1 defined it as a long term storage
and

conservation

specimens.
researchers

It

is

facility

created

develop

for

primarily

personalized

biological
to

help

medicine,

innovative drugs and other therapies. It consists

of the following:
a. Biological materials that are collected,
1 Biobanking Toward Cancer (Imasa, 2015)
www.pressreader.com

processed and dated for each

collected sample

b. Database that contains the information and

date of

each collected

sample.

- Over time as more specimens are collected

and archived. Researchers analyze and compare
the actual molecular characteristics, and identity
what went wrong with those cellsand tissues such
that they became diseased. Once they discover
this, they can now formulate ways of detecting
the disease using that are known as Biomarkers. 2
Types of Biobanks
There are 2 broad categories in relation to type of
samples stored:
1. Biobanks for organs and tissues for therapy and
transplantation
2. Biobanks for Genetics
The First group has the collection and storage of
organs, tissues, cells and products (DNA, proteins, etc.) for
which therapy, diagnosis and research, is not a new
practice since it has been carried out for many years in
laboratories and hospitals. As a matter of fact a significant
amount of useful biological samples of human beings
came from ordinary health assistance acts and its stored
in biobanks of organs and tissues for therapy and
transplantation. In the Philippines this strated over a year
2 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

ago at St. Lukes Medical Center.

The second group, is the specific type of Human
Biological Bank which are collected and stored tissue
samples and cell lines used to perform researchers on
genetic diseases or to define the genetic component of
common diseases.3
What is a Biomarker?4
- There are several more precise definitions of
biomarkers in literature. In the 1998 National
Institutes

of

Health

Biomarkers

it

is

characteristic that is objectively measured and

evaluated as an indicator of normal biological
processes, pathogenic or pathological responses
to a therapeutic intervention. While the Joint
Venture on Joint Chemical Safety (International
Programme

on

Chemical

Safety)

it

is

any

substance, structure or process that can be

measured in the body or its products and
influence or predict the incidence of outcome or
disease.

Importance of Biomarkers
- They can develop treatments that target only
3 www.geneticalliance.org.uk

4 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

the abnormal cell, molecular of the deceased cell.

Outcome5
- The end result is a treatment that is
personalized, targeted innovative hopefully has
fewer side effects.

INTRODUCTION
Developed v. Developing Country
-

In

the

former,

biobanks

have

been

established contributing to the current large flux

of cutting edge researches that have leapfrogged
new and diagnostic approaches and therapeutic
5 Biobanking Toward Cancer (Imasa, 2015)
www.pressreader.com

intervention.

The

treatment

is

made

more

personalized and in adjunct with the needs of the

patient. The latter however, its concept is a fairly
new field. It proved to be understandable due to
the stringent financial and technical requirements
that cost a lot of money and resources. 6
Biobanking in South East Asia
China Kadoorie Biobank or CKB
- it was set up to investigate the main genetic and
environmental causes of common chronic diseases in
the Chinese population

6 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 Korea Biobank Project (KBP)

- launched in 2008 it is a network between the National
Biobank of Korea and biobanks run by university affiliated
general hospitals.

Biobank Japan Project

- it started in 2003 and ended in 2012.
- it aims to investigate the relationship between
approximately 300,000 people as well as the efficacy and
side effects of the

drugs used.

Biobanking in the Philippines

- The first human cancer biobank in the
country was established on May 28, 2015 at St.
Lukes Medical Center (SLMC). Its President, Dr.
Edgardo Cortez said that the idea for the project
started in 2014. The main thrust of setting up of a
biobank is for patients to have a customized
treatment since analyzing their samples would

result to a more personal approach to the

medications to be used.

The First Human Cancer Biobank in the Philippines at St.

Lukes Medical Center

The vials are labeled with the patients name and are
provided with a barcode

A surgeon is seen getting the vials of the cancer patients

for research.

Dr. Edgardo Cortez being interviewed about the Human

Cancer Biobank at SLMC. Saying the aim of the Biobank is
to have a more precised treatment option for patients.

Here a Biobank Freezer is set up at -83 Celsius to ensure

that

the

samples

indefintely.

are

kept

fresh

and

would

last

Myth about the SLMC Biobank

- At first even I felt unease with the idea of a
biobank since it is a fairly new concept my
preconception was that having my samples
freezed would entail loads of money.
7 www.cnnphilippines.com/lifestyle/2015/06/01/Fighting-the-Big-C-The-first-human-cancer-biobank-in-PH.html

The biobank in SLMC if free of charge it is still

in its early stages. The fee for maintaining and
constant funding of the fresh samples is what
seem a challenge to the biobank.
PROS and CONS
PRO
can help cure cancer
personalized approach

CON
constant need of funding
to maintenance cost of the

evidenced- based medicine facility

traetment. Tailor fit to the
patients needs.
free of charge

multi-million dollar venture

early stages of the research
new concept not known to
many

Storing ones tissue specimen in a Biobank is the Future

of Cancer care. In their webiste St. Lukes Medical Center
as the pioneer of the countrys first Biobank on Human
Cancer aims to collect tumor specimens from patients,
preserve them and analyze the same for research.
Patients will receive a tailor fit treatment based on their
own body and particular disease. Further providing for
these individuals the determination of the proneness in
developing illnesses in the future and hopefully the
PREVENTION of the occurrence of cancer by altering the
genetic make-up.8
It not only is for treatment purposes but the storing of
the tissue specimens would be for good future use.
8 www.stluke.com.ph/newsroom/pressrelease/st-luke-s-human-cancer-biobank-the-future-of-cancer-care

CONCLUSION/ RECOMMENDATIONS
The launching of Biobanks in the Philippines is still on
its infancy stage and the constraints of the its widespread
information is not well-taken into concept by the Filipinos.
The reality is that in a Developing Country like the
Philippines, the exposure of the general public and their
awareness to the idea of what a Biobank is taking a stall
on their health. Technology like any other must be utilized
in order to maximize the potential of the society and not
stunt its growth. If everybody has a facebook account with
a readily available internet connection. The health sector
should bombard the public of the new and breakthrough
developments

in

the

health

industry.

Not

just

the

increassing number of health care BPOs providing jobs for

the working class but the need to raise awareness. That in

the country, we have a biobank that could help cancer
patients in their battle against the grueling disease. What
is more surprising is that it is free to store the specimens
of the patients. With the future at bay, the scope of
biobanking should be broadened to include the sperm
banks in the country. Bearing the fact that we do not have
at present a Sperm Bank in the country, the closest we
can get is the In Vitro Fertilization, Maturation, Intrauterine
Insemination still at St. Lukes. The nearest neighboring
sperm

bank

facility

being

in

Singapore.

Moreover,

establishing such facility aims to provide single mothers

who opt to conceive the chance of becoming a parent a
choice and decision carefully planned to empower women
in general.