Karachi — 27 November 2025: As part of ICON 2026, the Biorepository Unit at Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN), Karachi, organized a workshop titled “Ethics in Biorepositories: Challenges and Solutions” on 27 November 2025. The half-day session brought together 52 participants, including clinicians, researchers, laboratory personnel, residents, and healthcare professionals, to discuss ethical frameworks and practical challenges in biobanking.
The workshop aimed to strengthen understanding of global ethical standards, promote context-appropriate consent practices, and encourage culturally informed decision-making in biorepository operations. Through lectures, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, participants explored real-world challenges in informed consent, ethical governance, and biospecimen management, culminating in actionable strategies to enhance ethical compliance in biobanking activities.
The program commenced with Dr. Ashar Alam (Medical Directorate, IHHN), followed by an overview of the importance of biorepositories by Dr. Javeria Aijaz (Section Head, Molecular Pathology & Biorepository, IHHN). Distinguished speakers included Dr. Tania Bubela (Provost & Vice President Academic, AKU), who presented on global ethical guidelines, and Dr. Hana Arbab (Consultant, Paediatrics Surgery, IHHN), who highlighted common gaps in contextualizing ethics and informed consent. Ms. Nida Jawaid (Senior Biorepository Officer, IHHN) shared parental perspectives on pediatric biospecimen banking, based on qualitative research conducted in this field.
Two in-depth panel discussions further enriched the workshop. The first panel, moderated by Dr. Hana Arbab, featured Dr. Anusha Hettiaratchi (Sydney, Australia), Dr. Naila Baig Ansari (Director, IRD), Dr. Aamir M. Jafarey (Professor, CBEC, SIUT), Dr. Jamshed Akhtar (Visiting Professor, Paediatrics Surgery, LNH), and Dr. Nida Shamsi (Consultant, Medicine & Allied Services, IHHN). Discussions focused on culturally appropriate ethical principles and their practical implementation.
The second panel, moderated by Dr. Javeria Aijaz, addressed challenges in obtaining informed consent for biorepository sample collection. Panelists included Dr. Tania Bubela, Dr. Fareed Ud Din (Consultant, Paediatric Services), Dr. Ali Anwar Jilani (Consultant, Orthopedics, IHHN), Ms. Surhan Badar (IRB Coordinator, IHHN), and Dr. Hans Prakash (Manager, Repository, NIH, Malaysia). Participants engaged in discussions that offered both regional and international perspectives, fostering shared learning and critical reflection.
The workshop concluded with a presentation on the IHHN Biorepository Facility Plan & Updates by Ms. Maqboola Dojki (Manager, IHHN) and Mr. Owais Farooqui (Assistant Manager, IHHN), followed by a summary of key takeaways by Dr. Saba Jamal (Senior Director, IHHN). Dr. Abdul Bari Khan (President, IHHN) delivered the closing remarks, reiterating IHHN’s commitment to ethical excellence and capacity building in biorepositories.
The event successfully provided a platform for knowledge exchange, discussion, and reflection, strengthening ethical practices in biobanking at IHHN.