Biorepository/Sample Bank
The routine health care procedures you receive at MUSC are necessary to maintain your health. Now, through this routine care, you have the opportunity to help researchers learn more about preventing and treating diseases and conditions like the ones affecting you, your friends & family. We know that different groups of people have different health care needs—this is sometimes due to genetic make–up or other factors. Unfortunately, we do not yet understand these differences or which treatments are best for which people. An important way to study this is to look at samples—tissue, blood and other bodily fluids—combined with medical information to learn why some groups of people get sick while others do not, or why some drugs work really well for some people but not at all for others. By being a patient at MUSC, you can help researchers as they try to understand these differences and find better treatments for diseases. You are being asked to donate your unused tissue, blood samples and/or bodily fluids that would normally be thrown away so that researchers can use them for future research. These samples may become part of a “sample bank” at MUSC called the Biomedical Research Bank. The samples and medical information can be studied by researchers in such a way that will not identify the person who donated the samples. As a result of your contribution, these studies may help researchers learn more about preventing, finding and treating different diseases and conditions. » Sample Bank Brochure (PDF) |