Public supports commercial access to patient records when public benefit is clear

Most people are willing to have their health records used by commercial organisations, as long as there is a clear public benefit and it is not solely for private profit.

The conclusions emerged from one of the most detailed studies yet into what the public thinks about the use of its data by commercial organisations.1 The Wellcome Trust commissioned Ipsos MORI to carry out the research, which included workshops and a poll of 2000 people. The aim was to inform and influence a review being carried out for the health secretary for England, Jeremy Hunt, by Fiona Caldicott, the national data guardian.

The Caldicott review, which is expected to be published soon, will include …