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Is it unethical to own stock in the repository? Medical centers cannot hold stock in the commercial repositories they collaborate with without raising serious conflicts of interest problems. Such investments give the medical center a direct financial interest in the kinds and amount of tissue collected, an interest that can grow exponentially over time if the venture is successful. It is then in the financial interest of the medical center for its stock to do well. This may motivate a medical center to compromise its principles in order to serve its economic interests. This is a classic conflict of interest. Even when medical centers resist economic pressures, there may still be the appearance of unethical behavior.