Frequently asked questions

No, such restrictions do not apply when donating blood to the Biobank. Therefore, you can donate your biological samples without changing your usual diet.
Yes, drinking water, coffee, tea, or other beverages before donating blood samples or other biological samples is allowed.
Yes, it is recommended to avoid fatty food before donating blood, as a high fat ratio in the blood can negatively affect spectrophotometry, electrolyte analysis, and blood composition tests.
Yes, it can. Alcohol can distort blood chemistry (e.g., increase liver enzyme levels, change glucose and lipid concentrations), suppress immune system activity and thus affect blood cell count, affect metabolite profile, so various test results may be unreliable if the sample is collected after alcohol consumption. Also, alcohol consumption affects sample quality because it causes dehydration, so blood may become thicker, which can complicate blood collection and sample stability for long-term storage.
It is recommended not to consume alcohol 24 hours before donating blood.
About 5-15 minutes. There may be slight pain during puncture, and bruising may occur at the puncture site after the procedure, which usually disappears within a few days.
Up to 50 mL of blood will be taken for the Biobank samples.
No, no additional tests are required.
In most cases, blood sampling does not cause any discomfort and you can resume your normal activities immediately after the procedure. If you feel faint during blood sampling, inform the Biobank staff and do not rush to stand up. In this case, the Biobank employee will recommend that you sit down, and the weakness will usually pass quickly. If you are planning to have a similar blood sampling procedure in the near future, it is important to remember that a 24-hour break is recommended.
Yes. Once you have familiarized yourself with the purpose and procedure of participating in the Biobank, in order for the Biobank to collect and process your biological samples and health or health-related information, you will need to sign an informed consent form (or have your representative sign it). You will also be asked to fill out a questionnaire (which may take about 25-30 minutes) and an informed patient consent form for an interventional procedure (blood sampling). When you arrive at the Biobank or a healthcare facility cooperating with the Biobank, you must have an identity document with a photo with you.
After donating blood, it is not recommended but not prohibited to exercise. It is important that you responsibly assess how you feel.
The Biobank sample tests are performed for scientific, not diagnostic purposes. However, if important health information is discovered during tests, the Biobank will inform Your family doctor or contact You in accordance with the law. As the Biobank participant, You also have the right to request information about what research and other health data has been collected about You and in which studies it has been used.
Only very rarely, due to nervousness, fear of needles, lack of rest or food, you may feel dizzy, break out in a sweat or feel weak before the procedure, during blood collection or after the procedure. If you feel unwell, inform the nurse who took your blood—she is ready to help. Usually, any unpleasant sensations pass quickly without any long-term consequences.
All personal data collected about You that can be used to identify a person (personal code, name and surname, date of birth, etc.) is anonymized and stored encrypted in a secure internal Vilnius University database. For linking data with Your health or health factor data in the health system or elsewhere, a unique biobank participant code generated by the State Data Agency will be used, ensuring the highest technically possible level of data security. It is important to note that after the Biobank participant registration in the Biobank information system and assignment of a unique participant code, neither the Biobank employees nor researchers will be able to see non-anonymized Participant data. The possibility of identifying a specific person is left only for cases provided by law, but even in those cases, technological and process security measures are implemented to ensure full traceability of all actions with data and identification of the Biobank employee who performed those actions.
The list of biomedical research in which human biological samples and health information managed by the Biobank are or have been used will be published on our website.
You can withdraw consent at any time by submitting a signed withdrawal form in person, by registered mail, or by email which is available on the Biobank website or a free-form request, along with a copy of your identity document. When submitting documents by email, a qualified electronic signature with metadata is required. Health information stored in the Biobank is destroyed within 5 business days, and collected samples - within 6 months from the submission of such form to the biobank.
Definitely not.
The Biobank conducts scientific, not diagnostic, research. However, there is a possibility that the Biobank researchers or other scientists who have the right to use the Biobank samples for scientific research may discover significant genetic, metabolic, or other information that may indicate a rare or significant risk of a critical disease. In such cases, the Biobank will inform You or Your family doctor in accordance with the law so that qualified healthcare professionals can evaluate the information obtained and diagnose the disease or recommend preventive and monitoring measures if the disease has not yet manifested itself.