Best Practices

Through extensive community and expert input, NCI has identified salient guiding principles that define state-of-the-science biospecimen resource practices; promote biospecimen and data quality; and support adherence to ethical and legal requirements. These efforts have culminated in the publication of several documents including the NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources ("NCI Best Practices") and our Biospecimen Evidence-Based Practices (BEBP) series. The documents outline the operational, technical, ethical, legal, and policy best practices for the collection, storage, and processing of biospecimens. Recommendations contained within these documents are intended to be adapted, as appropriate, based on the mission and scientific needs of the individual or institution. The NCI Best Practices do not comprise detailed laboratory procedures; rather they consist of principles by which such procedures should be developed by biospecimen resources. While adoption of these guidelines is voluntary, the principles outlined support the goal of optimizing the quality and availability of biospecimens for cancer research.

• Click here to view the NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources or download the PDF
• Learn more about BBRB's Biospecimen Evidence-Based Practices
• See our Best Practices Archive (2007, 2011)
• Best Practices Translations
• Other biobanking resources

History of the NCI Best Practices

Over a period of several years, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) undertook an intensive due diligence process to understand the state of its funded biospecimen resources and the quality of biospecimens used in cancer research. This process, which began in 2002 with NCI surveys and community forums, resulted in the establishment of a trans-divisional Biorepository Coordinating Committee (BCC) in 2004 and 2005; followed by the creation of the Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research Branch (BBRB) to lead and coordinate a strategic plan to confront and resolve the issues in a stepwise fashion. These efforts culminated in 2005 with the development of the First-Generation Guidelines for NCI-Supported Biorepositories ("Guidelines"). This first-iteration document was published in the Federal Register on April 28, 2006 (71 FR 25184), and on the BBRB website. The NCI requested public comments on the Guidelines both through the Federal Register and the BBRB Web site (click here to view the summary of public comments (PDF Document: 41 KB)).

The Guidelines were subsequently revised based on public comment and input from content experts, and renamed the NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources ("NCI Best Practices"). The NCI Best Practices for Biospecimen Resources was accepted by the National Cancer Advisory Board in 2007. The document was updated in 2011 and again in 2016.