Regional Biobank Centres (RBC)

We explain the meaning of Regional Biobank Centres (RBC) and what they do.

Regional Biobank Centres (RBC) are administrative regional healthcare service and competence centres that provide advice and support to the regional biobanks in Sweden and its biobank coordinators. RBC also support and guide healthcare providers, researchers, pharmaceutical companies and the general public on questions related to the Swedish Biobank Act.

There are six different RBCs in Sweden, one in each healthcare region.

Review in clinical trials and performance studies

In addition to more general support and advisory services, each RBC reviews applications for clinical trials and performance studies before the local biobank custodian makes a final decision. This also includes providing statements to the Swedish Medical Products Agency (Läkemedelsverket, LV) and the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Etikprövningsmyndigheten, EPM) for applications that involve biobank samples and is regulated by one of the EU regulations on clinical trials (CTR) or performance studies (MDR, IVDR).

Support function for IT questions in regional healthcare
Each RBC also provides support related to the national IT systems managed and developed by Biobank Sweden. This includes basic user support, development of user manuals, training and information materials, as well as administration of user accounts within the healthcare region.

Above all, RBC serves as an important support function between Biobank Sweden at the national level and the local biobank coordinators within each region’s biobank. This role is particularly important as each region in Sweden has its own governing body and is, for example, responsible for its own IT systems.

Management of documents and website
RBC is responsible for managing and updating the content on Biobank Sweden’s national website (biobanksverige.se).

Managing incoming questions
The six RBCs are jointly responsible for monitoring and managing the nationally shared inbox, answering incoming questions to Biobank Sweden or when needed, forwarding questions to different working groups within Biobank Sweden, thereby enabling fast answers and several areas of expertise.

Do you have questions for an RBC?
See contact details in the interactive map below.

Regional Biobank Centres