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Previous Volume 337:1466-1470 November 13, 1997 Number 20 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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The potential for misuse of personal information by insurers and employers has heightened concern about the confidentiality of medical records. Despite the absence of documented abuses related to approved research projects,¹ legislation has been passed in Minnesota that restricts access to medical records for research purposes, and similar measures are proposed in some federal legislation. Such restrictions pose an obvious threat to patient-oriented investigations, such as observational outcome studies, that are based on existing medical-records data and require personal identifiers to link initial interventions with ultimate results. Clinicians and patients alike mostly take for granted the availability of this information, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Medical-Records Research at the Mayo Clinic

Legislated Restrictions on Access to Medical Records for Research

Practical Consequences of Restricted Research Access to Medical Records

Balancing Medical-Records Research and Privacy

Address reprint requests to Dr. Melton at the Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905.

References

Related Letters:

Privacy and Medical-Records Research
Norsigian J., Whelan S., Billings P., Woodward B., Brase T., Sweeney L., Melton L. J.
Extract | Full Text  
N Engl J Med 1998; 338:1076-1078, Apr 9, 1998. Correspondence

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