Biorepository and Biobank: strategic inovation in the Public Health Service

Abstract

Technologic improvements of the last decades have accelerated the social and economic transformations, which played a decisive role on the population morbid-mortality patterns. In Brazil, however, the heterogeneity of this pattern is quite visible and complex, due to its large territory, high inhabitant numbers and socioeconomic and cultural differences. Owing to the increase of life expectation, a rise and a frequent non-transmissible chronic diseases occurrence were observed. Climatic changes and deficient sanitary conditions in some regions may induce the resurgence of infectious diseases. In view of these changes, the system of epidemiological surveillance has to be compelled to restructure and to adapt to the new epidemiological scenarios, to identify the new risks, to predict and to restrain the spread of risk areas with preexisting dissemination, spread and for reducing diseases. One of the crucial points of this restructuring is the correct and proper storage of biological samples by producing bio-repositories and biobanks, in order to apply the new technologies for detecting, investigating and responding to outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics, with clear benefits to healthcare research and assistance. The present review aimed at demonstrating the importance of biobanks and biorepositories for Public Health.