Danes receiving treatment in the national health service have most likely had tissue samples added to the national biological register without their consent. The samples are available for research purposes, and participation is voluntary, but in order to not be included, individuals must actively opt-out. In the ten years the so-called Biobank has existed, however, only 460 people have asked not to have their samples kept. Patient rights specialists said the low number of opt-out requests was an indication the health service was not properly informing people of their rights. Officials from Statens Serum Institut, the state organisation responsible for managing the Biobank, saw it as an indication of Danes’ willingness to contribute to science. – Jyllands-Posten