Key points
- The Alaska Area Specimen Bank is a repository of more than 400,000 human samples collected to improve the health of Alaskans.
- The Specimen Bank is co-managed by CDC and Alaska Native Tribal leaders.
Overview
The Alaska Area Specimen Bank provides a way to learn about the health of Alaska Native people over time. Most specimens were collected to learn about infectious diseases like hepatitis.
The Alaska Area Specimen Bank makes sure human specimens:
- Are collected, processed, and securely stored so that they are maintained for future use
- Are used to address health concerns of Alaska Native people
- Are used in a way that respects Tribal health and federal guidelines that protect people's confidentiality, moral values, and involvement in research studies
Where did the specimens come from?
The specimens are from research studies, outbreaks, and medical procedures and consist of samples of blood, tissue, or other body fluids. Most of the specimens are from Alaska Native people. The bank has been saving specimens since the 1960s.
Who manages the Alaska Area Specimen Bank?
The Specimen Bank is co-managed by CDC and Alaska Native Tribal leaders to ensure the ethical conduct of research and the best use of the specimens. This collection has proven to be a critical asset for improving the health of Alaskans.
Data in action: improving hepatitis B screening
Stored samples from patients with liver cancer due to hepatitis B infection were used to validate the use of a simple blood test to routinely screen patients for early cancer detection. These efforts have markedly improved the survival of people with this form of cancer, especially those living in rural areas with limited access to healthcare.
Using the Specimen Bank for research
Specimens contained within the bank are the property of the individuals who consented to have their specimens stored. Future tests on these specimens, which use personal identifiers, will not be done without consent. Testing that will not use personal identifiers will only be done with the approval of the Alaska Area Institutional Review Board, relevant Alaska Tribal Health Organizations, and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.