Report of the roundtable discussion on access to data for health research

PARTICIPANTS AND STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING Participants in the roundtable discussion included representatives of the research community, data stewards from the Ministry of Health and Vancouver Island Health Authority, privacy experts and elected representatives representing the public interest. [...] The second part of the meeting was a focused discussion to identify: the opportunities to be gained by providing health researchers with access to data; existing barriers to access; and possible solutions -- how access to data for health research could be improved. [...] Its members include representatives of the Ministry of Health; health authorities; the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the College of Pharmacists; the College of Registered Nurses; a health researcher and the public. [...] FIPPA, the E-Health Act and the new Pharmaceutical Services Act clearly provide for access to personal information for research purposes, subject to specific and reasonable conditions that help to ensure the protection of privacy and security of the data. [...] A breach can cause harm not only to the patients, but also to the careers of researchers and data stewards and the reputations of health care organizations, research institutions and the province.