Thursday, January 19, 2006

UK Privacy Law interferes with medical research, scientists say

In light of the quote below, perhaps the headling should have been "BRITISH PRIVACY LAW KILLING THOUSANDS!" According to Reuters, a group of scientists in the United Kingdom are saying that the mis-interpretation of the and the bureaucratic morass that is has spawned is interfering with vital health research. This principally affects population studies, rather than clinical studies which require individual consent. Check it out:
Health News Article Reuters.com

"In medical research there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of unnecessary deaths occurring each year in the UK alone through the misinterpretation of these laws and guidelines," [Professor Rory Collins] added.

The same general argument has been raised by Canadian and US researchers about privacy laws in those countries.

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