To Accreditation and beyond: The Added Value of the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label

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The Added Value of the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label

The quest for excellence in biobanking continues: The Hannover Unified Biobank (HUB) (read more about its accreditation here) and the NCT Tissue Biobank Heidelberg (read more about its accreditation here) are both already accredited by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) according to ISO 20387. Now, both biobanks express their interest in obtaining also the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label.

“I was very surprised that already accredited biobanks want to receive our BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label. But after consulting with the biobank managers, it became clear to me that our Quality Label has a special meaning for the biobanks. It’s a biobank label that has value, and this feedback makes me particularly happy,” says Andrea Wutte, Head of BBMRI-ERIC Quality Management.

On the Fast Track to the High-Quality Label

Since biobanks accredited according to ISO 20387 have already demonstrated their competence in the field of biobanking, BBMRI-ERIC has, upon request, introduced an accelerated procedure (“Fast track”) for the formal recognition of the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label.

“Fast Track to BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label” means that already accredited biobanks can submit an informal application for receiving the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label by presenting the accreditation certificate. This allows speeding up the process while ensuring that the biobank adheres to the high standards of the label.

At this year’s Europe Biobank Week (EBW25) in Bologna, Hannover Unified Biobank and NCT Tissue Biobank Heidelberg will be awarded the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label along with a certificate and a trophy – the accreditation certificate serving as full proof of the biobank competencies.

Maintaining high biobanking standards across Europe

The BBMRI-ERIC audit program supports all biobanks within the BBMRI-ERIC network in having their biobank management systems evaluated against the criteria of the international biobank standard ISO 20387. This evaluation is carried out on-site by qualified auditors from the national biobank networks or by BBMRI-ERIC HQ-QM. Find more information on our BBMRI-ERIC audit programme and from your national Quality Leads.

How to apply

If you wish to apply with your biobank for the BBMRI-ERIC Quality Label, please send your informal application to qm@bbmri-eric.eu