Towards an Appropriate Privacy Regime for Medical Data Research

Abstract

AbstractIn this article, first the relevant human rights and their main implications for privacy regulations within the field of medical data research will be outlined. Hereafter, an overview of the international privacy rules that apply to the use of medical data for research purposes is given, followed by an impression of possible problems in research practice which can be related to or associated with the legal framework. In the subsequent section, the legal status of encoded (research) data is analyzed, since this issue is of particular relevance when a privacy regime for using medical data for research purposes is to be discussed. Finally, in the author addresses the main theme of this article: 'an appropriate privacy regime' for medical data research.