Back On 14 May, the Saeima adopted the Biobank Law in its final reading, establishing a unified legal framework for the operation of biobanks in Latvia and promoting the development of research and the implementation of precision medicine.
The Biobank Law has been developed to ensure clear conditions for the collection, storage and use of human biological samples and related data for scientific and medical purposes. Until now, Latvia lacked a unified regulatory framework, which complicated biomedical research and international cooperation.
“The Biobank Law marks an important step forward for the development of medicine and science in Latvia. Biobanks can be compared to a secure and modern ‘library’ where biological materials and related information are stored for scientific research, while adhering to strict ethical and data protection principles. The new regulation will foster the development of personalised medicine and strengthen Latvia’s competitiveness in the international scientific environment. Importantly, every donor will retain full control over their information,” emphasised Minister for Health Hosams Abu Meri.
The law defines the principles for the establishment and operation of biobanks and sets strict requirements for data protection, ethical standards and the protection of donor rights. It particularly highlights the importance of informed and dynamic consent, ensuring that individuals maintain control over how their biological samples are used in research.
Biobanks will enable closer cooperation between healthcare institutions and research organisations, support innovation and facilitate broader patient participation in research. This, in turn, will contribute to the development of new treatment methods, diagnostic solutions and medicines, while improving public health outcomes.
The implementation of the Biobank Law is an essential prerequisite for the sustainable development of Latvia’s health data ecosystem, ensuring high standards of data quality, security and usability at both national and international levels, while strengthening Latvia’s competitiveness in biomedicine and innovation.
A targeted approach to implementing precision medicine is also being advanced by the Children’s Clinical University Hospital within the framework of the Swiss–Latvian Cooperation Programme “Advancement of Paediatric Cancer Care in Latvia”. The programme focuses on improving disease diagnostics and personalised treatment approaches, increasing the capacity of pathology and molecular laboratories, providing a clinical training base for healthcare professionals, and establishing a follow-up system for children who have overcome oncological diseases. One of the programme’s objectives is the establishment of a biobank for paediatric oncology and other rare diseases.
As previously highlighted by the Children’s Hospital, the adoption of the Biobank Law will support the development of research and enable broader establishment of biobanks within healthcare institutions, promoting patient involvement in research and opening new opportunities for treatment.
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