Best Practices Forums

In June 2007, the NCI initiated an education and outreach program targeted at investigators, industry representatives, hospital administrators, patient advocates, and the general public. Four forums were held in key U.S. cities to provide information about the importance of best practices in guiding biospecimen use, the operational and ethical standards in the NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources, and resources for achieving high-quality and accessible biospecimens. Audience discussion and participation were key to the success of these events. Input obtained from stakeholders during these forums will be taken into account during the development of future versions of the NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources and new guidance documents.