The Italian Data Protection Authority has authorized a pharmaceutical company to gain access to personal medical files in order to conduct a study about breast cancer. The company will be allowed access to the files of 1,000 patients; however, access will be restricted to essential information only and that information will be cryptic. Upon completion of the survey, the patients' information will be made unavailable. The Garante deemed that, due to the importance of the research and the difficulties involved in gathering information in advance, the company and health centers should have access to the data. (Article in Italian.)
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