Privacy and Confidentiality in Health Research

CIHR has been working actively in the area of privacy and confidentiality of data in health research to identify, articulate and help resolve the many related issues. The ultimate aim is to achieve a workable balance between the right to privacy and confidentiality of personal information, and the need for health researchers to have reasonable access to such information to improve health, health services and the Canadian healthcare system.

Best Practices and Case Studies

• CIHR Best Practices for Protecting Privacy in Health Research (September 2005)
• Secondary Use of Personal Health Information in Health Research: Case Studies (November 2002)

Evaluation:

• Initial Implementation Working Group: Final Report with Recommendations for the CIHR Best Practices for Protecting Privacy in Health Research (2007)

Funding Policy:

• Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans 2nd Edition (2010) - Chapter 5: Privacy and Confidentiality