BMA: Patient confidentiality is paramount for data sharing plans

The British Medical Association (BMA) has reminded the government of the need to enshrine patient confidentiality in its new medical data sharing plans.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the BMA, said the organisation is encouraged by the commitment shown to the life science industry in its new collaborative working plans.

However, the body has voiced concerns that the benefits of distributing anonymised health data could be counterbalanced by a decrease in privacy, as it could allow large companies to gain knowledge of individuals' health and treatment statuses.

Dr Nathanson said the BMA will be examining the proposals carefully in order to ensure that confidentiality is maintained and that patients cannot be identified and contacted by corporations as a result of the plans.

"We believe that patient records must be kept confidential and be anonymised if they are to be used for research purposes unless explicit patient consent has been obtained," she explained.

The new government plans have been broadly welcomed by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline as a move that will aid the development of new drugs in the UK.