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BBMRI-ERIC Quality Policy
All Partners should commit themselves to implement quality management/assurance procedures compliant with applicable European and International standards, OECD best practice guidelines for Global Biological Resource Centres Networks and WHO/IARC Common Minimum Technical Standards and Protocols for Biobanks Dedicated to Cancer Research.
SOPs should be established and made publicly available for all processes related to sample collection, processing, storage, retrieval and dispatch. It is recommended that SOPs should follow the procedures as specified in the WHO/IARC guidelines for biological resource centres for cancer research whenever feasible.
A biobank (collection) shall be provided a unique persistent identifier as a part of registering the biobank (collection) in the BBMRI-ERIC Directory. Partners are also encouraged to participate and benefit from the quality services of BBMRI-ERIC.
Quality-relevant documents and information from and for biobankers
OECD Best Practice Guidelines for Biological Resource Centres
BBMRI.ch SBP Guidelines:
Preanalytical conditions to prepare human DNA from whole blood
Preanalytical conditions to prepare human RNA from whole blood
Preanalytical conditions to prepare human DNA from FFPE Tissue for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
BBMRI-ERIC´s special issue of the Biobanks Europe Magazine on quality management
BBMRI-ERIC user satisfaction survey template
BBMRI-ERIC Liaisons with international standardization organizations
Since 2015, BBMRI-ERIC has established and actively maintains liaisons to the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committees (ISO/TC). Read more about it here.
International Biobanking Standard
This document specifies general requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of biobanks including quality control requirements to ensure biological material and data collections of appropriate quality.
This document is applicable to all organizations performing biobanking, including biobanking of biological material from multicellular organisms (e.g. human, animal, fungus and plant) and microorganisms for research and development.
Biobank users, regulatory authorities, organizations and schemes using peer-assessment, accreditation bodies, and others can also use this document in confirming or recognizing the competence of biobanks.
This International Standard promotes the adoption of a process approach when developing, implementing and improving the effectiveness of a quality management system, to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting customer requirements.This International Standard can be used by internal and external parties, including certification bodies, to assess the organisation’s ability to meet customer, statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to the product, and the organisation’s own requirements.
Recommended European and International Standards
ISO Standards
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examination processes for frozen tissue
Part 1: Isolated RNA (ISO 20184-1:2018)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of frozen tissue specimens intended for RNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories that evaluate RNA extracted from frozen tissue. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organisations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Tissues that have undergone chemical stabilization pre-treatment before freezing are not covered in this document.
Part 2: Isolated proteins (ISO 20184-2:2018)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of frozen tissue specimens intended for the examination of isolated proteins during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories that evaluate proteins isolated from frozen tissue. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organisations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Part 3: Isolated DNA (ISO 20184-3:2021)
This document specifies requirements and gives recommendations for the handling, storage, processing, and documentation of frozen tissue specimens intended for DNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories that evaluate DNA isolated from frozen tissue. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examinations processes for formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue
Part 1: Isolated RNA (ISO 20166-1:2018)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens intended for RNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Part 2: Isolated proteins (ISO 20166-2:2018)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens intended for the examination of isolated proteins during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. This document is not applicable for protein examination by immunohistochemistry.
Part 3: Isolated DNA (ISO 20166-3:2018)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, documentation, storage and processing of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens intended for DNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular assay is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories and molecular pathology laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Part 4: In situ detection techniques (ISO 20166-4:2021)
This document specifies requirements and gives recommendations for the collection, handling, documentation, transport, storage and processing during the pre-examination phase of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens intended for qualitative and/or (semi-)quantitative in situ examination of the morphology and of biomolecules, such as metabolites, proteins, DNA and/or RNA, on FFPE tissue sections by using different in situ detection techniques. This document is applicable to in vitro diagnostic examinations using in situ detection techniques. These include laboratory developed tests performed by pathology laboratories (histopathology laboratories) as well as by molecular pathology laboratories and other medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, as well as institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examinations processes for venous whole blood
Part 1: Isolated cellular RNA (ISO 20186-1:2019)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for cellular RNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Different dedicated measures are taken for stabilizing blood cell free circulating RNA and RNA in exosomes circulating in blood. These are not described in this document. Different dedicated measures are taken for collecting, stabilizing, transporting and storing capillary blood as well as for collecting and storing blood by paper based technologies or other technologies generating dried blood. These are not described in this document. This document does not cover the isolation of specific blood cells and subsequent isolation of cellular RNA therefrom. RNA in pathogens present in blood is not covered by this document.
Part 2: Isolated genomic DNA (ISO 20186-2:2019)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for genomic DNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Different dedicated measures are taken for stabilizing blood cell free circulating DNA, which are not described in this document. NOTE Circulating cell free DNA in blood is covered in ISO 20186-3. Different dedicated measures are taken for collecting, stabilizing, transporting and storing capillary blood as well as for collecting and storing blood by paper based technologies or other technologies generating dried blood. These are not described in this document. This document does not cover the isolation of specific blood cells and subsequent isolation of genomic DNA therefrom. DNA in pathogens present in blood is not covered by this document.
Part 3: Isolated circulating cell free DNA from plasma (ISO 20186-3:2019)
This document provides recommendations and requirements on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for circulating cell free DNA (ccfDNA) examination during the pre-examination phase before an analytical test is performed. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Different dedicated measures are taken for stabilizing blood genomic DNA, which are not described in this document. Blood genomic DNA is covered in ISO 20186-2. Different dedicated measures are taken for preserving DNA in circulating exosomes, which are not described in this document. NOTE ccfDNA obtained from blood by the procedures cited in this document can contain DNA originally present in exosomes. DNA in pathogens present in blood is not covered by this document.
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examinations processes in metabolomics
Urine, venous blood serum and plasma (ISO 23118:2021)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for cellular RNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes. This document is applicable to any molecular in vitro diagnostic examination performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Different dedicated measures are taken for stabilizing blood cell free circulating RNA and RNA in exosomes circulating in blood. These are not described in this document. Different dedicated measures are taken for collecting, stabilizing, transporting and storing capillary blood as well as for collecting and storing blood by paper based technologies or other technologies generating dried blood. These are not described in this document. This document does not cover the isolation of specific blood cells and subsequent isolation of cellular RNA therefrom. RNA in pathogens present in blood is not covered by this document.
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examinations processes for saliva
Isolated human DNA (ISO 4307:2021)
This document specifies requirements and recommendations on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of saliva specimens intended for human DNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examination including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories. It can also be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities. Dedicated measures that need to be taken for saliva collected on absorbing material or by mouth washes are not described in this document. Neither are measures for preserving and handling of native saliva cell-free DNA, pathogens, and other bacterial or whole microbiome DNA in saliva described.
Laboratories for testing and calibration
Medical laboratories
General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025:2017)
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 specifies the general requirements for the competence to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sampling. It covers testing and calibration performed using standard methods, non-standard methods, and laboratory-developed methods. It is applicable to all organisations performing tests and/or calibrations. These include, for example, first-, second- and third-party laboratories, and laboratories where testing and/or calibration forms part of inspection and product certification.
Medical laboratories – Requirements for quality and competence (ISO 15189:2022)
specifies requirements for quality and competence in medical laboratories. This International Standard can be used by medical laboratories in developing their quality management systems and assessing their own competence. It is also applicable for confirming or recognizing the competence of medical laboratories by laboratory users, regulatory authorities and accreditation bodies.
Medical laboratories – Requirements for safety (ISO 15190:2020)
While this International Standard is intended for use throughout the currently recognised disciplines of medical laboratory services, other services and disciplines may find it useful and appropriate. However, medical laboratories handling human pathogens requiring containment levels 3 and 4 will need to meet additional requirements to ensure safety.
This document specifies requirements and good practice recommendations for the collection and transport of samples intended for medical laboratory examinations. This document is applicable to medical laboratories and service providers, which can be independent from the medical laboratory, involved in laboratory pre-examination processes that include the examination request, patient preparation and identification, sample collection and transport. It can also be applicable to some biobanks.
Auditing
Guidelines for auditing management systems (ISO 19011:2018)
This document provides guidance on auditing management systems, including the principles of auditing, managing an audit programme and conducting management system audits, as well as guidance on the evaluation of competence of individuals involved in the audit process. These activities include the individual(s) managing the audit programme, auditors and audit teams. It is applicable to all organizations that need to plan and conduct internal or external audits of management systems or manage an audit programme. The application of this document to other types of audits is possible, provided that special consideration is given to the specific competence needed.
Biotechnology
This document specifies the validation and verification requirements applicable to a biobank to be able to demonstrate that it operates its processing of biological materials with validated and/or verified methods that are fit for purpose. This document is intended for use in the implementation and validation of processing methods for biological materials. This document covers method validation and verification for the production of all biological materials. This document does not apply to biological material intended for food/feed production, laboratories undertaking food/feed analysis, and/or therapeutic use.
This document specifies requirements for the biobanking of human mesenchymal stromal cells derived from umbilical cord tissue (i.e. Wharton’s jelly), further referred to as hUC-MSCs, including the collection of umbilical cord tissue and associated data, isolation, culture characterization, quality control, cryopreservation, storage, thawing, disposal, distribution and transport. This document is applicable to all organizations performing biobanking of hUC-MSCs used for research and development. This document does not apply to hUC-MSCs for the purpose of in vivo application in humans, clinical applications or therapeutic use.
This document specifies requirements for the biobanking of human and mouse pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including the collection of biological source material and associated data, establishment, expansion, characterization, quality control (QC), maintenance, preservation, storage, thawing, disposal, distribution and transport. This document is applicable to all organizations performing biobanking with human and mouse PSCs used for research and development. This document does not apply to cell lines used for in vivo application in humans, clinical applications or therapeutic use.
This document specifies requirements for the biobanking of human mesenchymal stromal cells derived from bone marrow (hBM-MSCs), including the collection of bone marrow and associated data, isolation, culture, characterization, quality control, cryopreservation, storage, thawing, disposal, distribution and transport. This document is applicable to all organizations performing biobanking with hBM-MSCs used for research. This document does not apply to hBM-MSCs for the purpose of in vivo application in humans, cell therapy, clinical applications, tissue engineering or therapeutic use.
This document specifies a general concept for a provenance information model for biological material and data and requirements for provenance data interoperability and serialization. The provenance information model covers any information relevant to the quality and fitness for purpose of the biological material generated throughout the preanalytical phase of the materials life cycle from collection to analysis, data originating from analytical procedures applied to the biological material and results from further mathematical processing of the data.
Data Quality / Data Security
Data quality — Part 1: Overview (ISO 8000-1:2022)
This document provides an overview of the ISO 8000 series.
The following are within the scope of this document:
— stating the scope of the ISO 8000 series as a whole;
— establishing the principles of information and data quality;
— describing the path to data quality;
— describing the structure of the ISO 8000 series;
— providing a summary of the content of each part in the ISO 8000 series;
— establishing the relationship of the ISO 8000 series to other international standards.
Information security management systems (ISO/IEC 27001:2022)
ISO/IEC 27001 is the world’s best-known standard for information security management systems (ISMS). It defines requirements an ISMS must meet. The ISO/IEC 27001 standard provides companies of any size and from all sectors of activity with guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system. Conformity with ISO/IEC 27001 means that an organization or business has put in place a system to manage risks related to the security of data owned or handled by the company, and that this system respects all the best practices and principles enshrined in this International Standard.
This document provides a reference set of generic information security controls including implementation guidance. This document is designed to be used by organizations:
a) within the context of an information security management system (ISMS) based on ISO/IEC27001;
b) for implementing information security controls based on internationally recognized best practices;
c) for developing organization-specific information security management guidelines.
This document establishes commonly accepted control objectives, controls and guidelines for implementing measures to protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in line with the privacy principles in ISO/IEC 29100 for the public cloud computing environment. In particular, this document specifies guidelines based on ISO/IEC 27002, taking into consideration the regulatory requirements for the protection of PII which can be applicable within the context of the information security risk environment(s) of a provider of public cloud services. This document is applicable to all types and sizes of organizations, including public and private companies, government entities and not-for-profit organizations, which provide information processing services as PII processors via cloud computing under contract to other organizations. The guidelines in this document can also be relevant to organizations acting as PII controllers. However, PII controllers can be subject to additional PII protection legislation, regulations and obligations, not applying to PII processors. This document is not intended to cover such additional obligations.
CEN Standards
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examination processes for human specimen
This document gives guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of human venous whole blood specimens intended for the examination of RNA isolated from circulating tumour cells (CTCs) during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Part 2: Isolated DNA (CEN/TS 17390-2:2020)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for the examination of human DNA isolated from circulating tumour cells (CTCs) during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Part 3: Preparations for analytical CTC staining (CEN/TS 17390-3:2020)
This document specifies guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of human venous whole blood specimens intended for staining of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations including laboratory developed tests performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examinations processes for venous whole blood
Isolated circulating cell free RNA from plasma (CEN/TS 17742:2022)
This document specifies requirements and recommendations for the pre-examination phase of circulating cell free RNA (ccfRNA) from venous whole blood specimens, including but not limited to the collection, handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for ccfRNA examination. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes. The pre-examination process described in this document results in circulating cell free RNA isolated from blood plasma without prior enrichment of exosomes and other extracellular vesicles. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examinations processes for exosomes and other extracellular vesicles in venous whole blood
DNA, RNA and proteins (CEN/TS 17747:2022)
This document gives guidelines on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of venous whole blood specimens intended for DNA, RNA and protein examination from exosomes and other extracellular vesicles during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document covers specimens collected in venous whole blood collection tubes.
The pre-examination process described in this document results in isolated DNA, RNA and proteins from enriched exosomes and other extracellular vesicles.
This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by health care institutions including facilities collecting and handling specimen, laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
Molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations
Specifications for pre-examinations processes for urine and other body fluids
Isolated cell free DNA (CEN/TS 17811:2022)
This document specifies requirements and gives recommendations on the handling, storage, processing and documentation of body fluids specimens intended for human cfDNA examination during the pre-examination phase before a molecular examination is performed. This document is applicable to molecular in vitro diagnostic examinations performed by medical laboratories. It is also intended to be used by health institutions including facilities collecting and handling specimen, laboratory customers, in vitro diagnostics developers and manufacturers, biobanks, institutions and commercial organizations performing biomedical research, and regulatory authorities.
