SECONDARY RESEARCH USE OF BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES AND DATA IN QUEBEC

Abstract

Biological materials are routinely collected during medical care, and information collected with these materials may also be retained. The value of biological samples and related data in research raises a number of questions about how to define conditions for access to materials or information that will protect the dignity and privacy of patients. The authors provide a critical analysis of the current legal and institutional framework in Quebec with respect to the secondary use of biological samples in research, and access to data gathered in the course of medical care.