Commission examining privacy regulation impact on medical research

The Federal Privacy Commissioner has released its submission to the Productivity Commission's Research Study into Public Support for Science and Innovation, in response to a request for advice on the interaction between privacy regulation and medical research.

The submission gives a good summary of the complex laws that apply in this field that led many researchers to bring these issues to the attention of the Privacy Commissioner and a Federal Parliamentary Committee when they looked at privacy in the private sector earlier this year.

Between the Productivity Commission and the Australian Law Reform Commission (already undertaking a review of privacy laws) they might come up with some answers to smooth the way for research that advances health objectives without adverse effect on privacy interests.