Graph Biorepository
What are Biorepositories?
Biorepositories are crucial to improving patient care. They are collections of biological samples, often referred to as biospecimens. Scientists can use biospecimens, and genetic sequencing data derived from them, to answer important questions – like why we get sick and what treatments can help us get better.
What is the biorepository at Sidra Medicine?
The biorepository is called the "GRAPH Biorepository" at Sidra Medicine. It supports medical innovation by using biospecimens with de-identified data derived from those biospecimens and other relevant de-identified clinical data that help scientists understand the diseases better.
The biospecimens used by the GRAPH Biorepository are no longer needed for your care and would otherwise be disposed of. Samples and data will be stored confidentially at Sidra Medicine on the 5th Floor of the Outpatient Clinic.
How will the Graph Biorepository benefit science and communities in Qatar?
Your participation in the GRAPH Biorepository matters. Patients like you can make a difference by participating in the biorepository because biomedical research often involves looking for genetic and other biomarker correlations that must be tested and validated across many patients.
Moreover, it has the potential of directly helping the local population as it will help researchers understand how lifestyle, environment, and genes contribute to life-threatening diseases, ultimately leading to the prevention of serious chronic conditions.
Scientists at Sidra Medicine and third-party organizations (such as academic institutions, life sciences companies, and health systems) can request biospecimens from the GRAPH Biorepository for research studies. A Committee at Sidra Medicine will assess each request for scientific merit as part of Sidra's commitment to its patients and to advancing medicine. Moreover, the Institutional Review Board at Sidra Medicine will assess the ethics of each study proposed.
How can I opt out of the GRAPH Biorepository?
If you would rather not participate, Sidra Medicine is committed to honoring that choice. If you wish to opt-out, please tick the option OPT-OUT in the treatment consent at your first access.
If you change your mind later, you can write an email to GRAPH@sidra.org. Remember, you can always change your mind.
If you opt out later, it means that Sidra Medicine will stop using any biospecimens from you maintained in the biorepository (or genetic sequencing data derived from them by the GRAPH Biorepository) for future projects. In addition, Sidra Medicine won't add any new biospecimens from you to the GRAPH Biorepository.
It's also important that you understand what won't change if you decide to opt out:
- If your biospecimens are already used in a research project, researchers can continue to use your biospecimens to complete the study properly.
- Opting out will not change how Sidra Medicine creates, uses, and shares de-identified information about you (including genetic sequencing data derived from your biospecimens by the GRAPH Biorepository).
- Opting out will not change how Sidra Medicine collects, uses and shares identifiable or de-identified biospecimens about you (or genetic sequencing data derived from biospecimens) for non-research purposes, for example, quality assurance initiatives.
- Opting out will not impact the use or disclosure of biospecimens or data collected from you for other research studies. You will continue to be enrolled in any other studies in which you participate (unless you decide to stop your participation by informing the investigators of those studies).
- Sidra Medicine may continue to offer you other opportunities to participate in research, including research involving the collection of new biospecimens for a particular project.
- If you decide to opt-out and later wish to participate in this important effort, you can always change your mind.