Finland provides unique benefits for researchers and companies

Finland has it all: unique biospecimen and biodata, the needed governance, regulation, infrastructure, expertise, and proven track-record of state-of-the-art biomedical research collaboration.

Explore now Register

Finland has a lot to offer for biobank research

Finns share a unique genetic heritage due to geographic isolation which allows faster and more effective analysis of genomic data compared to populations of more heterogeneous origins.

World-class genomic data

Finnish biobanks have joined together in a large nationwide FinnGen research project which will generate a vast amount of genome data from up to 500,000 (every tenth Finnish resident) biobank samples by 2023. All sample-related genome data generated in the project can be further used in subsequent biobank projects.

Discover the research possibilities that Finland's unique gene variants and population-wide registers can offer

Well-functioning healthcare system

The entire population is covered with longitudinal electronic health records and a personal identification code. The unique identification codes enable linking of the biobank samples to deep phenotypic data, such as medical records, as well as genomic data and the national registries.

Up-to-date legislation

The research-promoting Biobank Act (2013) secures the rights of the donor and authorizes the collection of samples and biodata with the donor’s consent to be saved in biobanks and used for future research purposes. The Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data (2019) facilitates effective and safe processing and access to social and health services data.

Possibility for recontacting sample donors

Sample donors who have given prior consent to be contacted can be invited for further studies. This provides an opportunity for survey studies and targeted patient recruitment for clinical trials.

National commitment

Significant public funds have been invested in health research in Finland. The Finnish government has published the Health Sector Growth Strategy for Research and Innovation, and the biobank ecosystem is at the core of the Strategy.

Research-engaged people

Finns trust researchers and the Finnish healthcare system. Therefore, they are willing to participate in public screening programs and to donate their samples to biobanks.

1. Carpén, O, & Hautalahti, M. (2019). Suomalainen biopankki on potilaita varten. Duodecim, 135(10), 971-2.

2. European Commission. Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2021. Thematic chapters.

3. Wallace, N. & Castro. D. (2017). The State of Data Innovation in the EU. Center of Data Innovation.

4. Schwab, K. & Zahidi, S. (2020). How Countries are Performing on the Road to Recovery. The Global Competitiveness Report. World economic forum. Special Edition.

5. Frost & Sullivan (2020). Future Watch: Global Biobanking Market Landscape. Business Finland.

6. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2022). https://stm.fi/en/personalized-medicine

7. Finlex (2012). https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/alkup/2012/20120688.

8. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2019). Act on the secondary use of health and social data. https://stm.fi/en/secondary-use-of-health-and-social-data.

9. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2022). https://stm.fi/en/genome-center.

Contact us

We're ready to support you in your biomedical research efforts. Contact us now and we'll be in touch with you at the earliest opportunity.

News & Updates

News

When something good goes around – The Biobank Study of the Year 2023

FINBB opens a call to select the biobank research project of year. The call is open between 23 October - 8 November 2023.

Ecosystem

Unique Gene Variants and Population-wide Registers – How Can Finnish Data Accelerate Your RWE Research?

Biomedical research relies on a wide range of data sources to provide insights into healthcare outcomes and treatment effectiveness in real-world settings. Finnish medical registers and biobanks hold vast amounts of valuable data that can be effectively combined on an individual level. In addition, the geographical isolation of Finns has resulted in a shared unique genetic heritage, creating excellent conditions for genetic research.

Ecosystem

Finland’s Globally Unique Legislation Simplifies Your RWE Research

Regulatory compliance is a critical element of successful RWE research. In Finland, up-to-date national legislation ensures that healthcare data in Finnish registers can be used for new scientific innovation. The current regulations allow for easier and more efficient use of social welfare and health data in research and development.