Research and protection of personal data in Primary Care

Research is one of the fundamental functions that have to be carried out in Primary Care. The clinical information stored in different records arising from medical care is a basic tool for this activity. The use of personal data for the purposes of research is legitimate according to our laws; however, this information must be treated confidentially at all times. Two alternatives are available for this. One is to obtain the informed consent of the patient, and the other is to dissociate the handling of the information. But in some situations, the compliance to legal demands when obtaining data for research is not easy, there being a series of obstacles which in many cases makes it impossible to carry out research. In this article, we will give guidance on how to access the information contained in records while respecting the rights of the patient and the current legislation. (C) 2011 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.