How Do Privacy Laws Affect Epidemiological Research?
Privacy laws impact epidemiological research in several ways:
Informed Consent: Researchers must obtain informed consent from participants, explaining how their data will be used and protected. Data De-identification: To minimize privacy risks, researchers often de-identify data, removing or masking personal identifiers. Data Access: Access to personal health data is restricted to authorized personnel, and data sharing agreements may be required. Ethical Review: Studies must undergo ethical review by an IRB to ensure compliance with privacy laws and ethical standards.
