The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and other members of the European Data in Health Research Alliance have welcomed the agreement between the European Parliament, Council of Ministers and the European Commission on a new EU Data Protection Regulation.
Earlier drafts of the Regulation had included amendments to consent rules on access to patient data which would have had a negative impact on life-saving research. RCP has been lobbying with research partners led by Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK to change this and the new compromise text agreed on 15th December includes proportionate safeguards on how personal data is used in health research.