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Table 3 Required approvals to transfer data/samples abroad

From: Legal and ethical framework for global health information and biospecimen exchange - an international perspective

 

AUT

CHE

CHN

GBR

HKG

JPN

ITA

SGP

SWE

TUR

TWN

UGA

USA

Ethical approval required

 Uncoded data/samples

yes

yesa,b

yes

yesa

yes

yesf

n.a.

n.a.

yes

n.a.

yes

n.a.

yes

 Coded data/samples

yes

yesa,b

yesf

yesa

yes

yesf

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

n.a

 Anonymized data/samples

yese

no

yes

no

no

yesf

yes

yes

no

yes

no

yes

no

Approval from national health authority required

 Uncoded data/samples

no

noc

yesd

yesa

no

nof

no

n.a.

yese

n.a.

yes

n.a.

no

 Coded data/samples

no

noc

yesd,f

yesa

no

nof

no

no

yese

yes

yes

yes

n.a

 Anonymized data/samples

no

noc

yesd

yesa

no

nof

no

no

no

yes

yes

yes

no

  1. n.a “not applicable”, this type of data/samples is not transferrable or is not defined in the law
  2. aWhen transferred for specific research projects. Not for creating databases or biobanks
  3. bApproval is only required if the institution transferring the data/samples is involved in the project
  4. cUnless data/samples are transferred to a country without adequate protection
  5. dBiological samples and genetic data only
  6. eBiological samples only
  7. fDifferent terms from coded/anonymized are used to categorize subject’s privacy protection (see above)