| Title: Data Sharing Scenario
Characters: Dr. Syd Shingles, a Researcher Dr. Alexei Filipovna, her Colleague Raymond(e) Lagarde, Visiting Scholar from University of Nantes INTERIOR, DAY. SENIOR RESEARCHER'S OFFICE, MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUION Syd is in high dudgeon. He bursts into Alexi's office where Alexi and Raymond(e) are having expresso – or perhaps playing chess. SHINGLES Alexei! I think we have a major confidentiality problem here. FILIPOVNA Why don't you come in, Sid? SHINGLES (who is already “in”) The people in Nantes are sending the national health identification numbers of study subjects to outside suppliers – in this case, two labs in Le Harver. LAGARDE (correcting pronunciation) ”Le Harvre” SHINGLES Whatever. FILIPOVNA Why is that a problem? SHINGLES Our protocol, as approved by the Institutional Review Board (of which you are a member), specifically states subject confidentiality. FILIPOVNA Well, maybe that's why they're using the numbers and not the names. SHINGLES But these aren't arbitrary numbers! They're 20 digits long. FILIPOVNA ( looking ) Wow. They look like VIN numbers. LAGARDE May I see, please. Yes. The first digit is the sex, the next eight are date of birth, and this part here is the department – you would say the county – where the person was born. SHINGLES These are not arbitrary numbers. They're practically a resume! FILIPOVNA Why are you using National Health numbers and not arbitrary codes? LAGARDE The labs need the numbers if they are to be paid. FILIPOVNA They don't just send a bill to Nantes ? LAGARDE They send the bill to Paris . SHINGLES Why? LAGARDE ( Who hasn't forgiven Shingles' interruption .) Because the lab tests are covered under our comprehensive national health scheme, you know, national health. SHINGLES The labs are sending the identities of HIV-positive study subjects into the national payment system as a group? Why not print their names in the newspaper? FILIPOVNA Have you talked to Dr. Turquier yet? SHINGLES No, not yet. It's the middle of the night. I'll call him in the morning, but I know what he'll say. He'll say it's not a problem. FILIPOVNA For them it isn't. They don't have to follow American regulations -- and they couldn't care less about our Institutional Review Board. LAGARDE Excuse me, but one must not be hypocritical here. The reason you did the study in collaboration with the University of Nantes is because the French system provides you with better records of previous medical care. These records are made possible by the centralized payment system. FILIPOVNA He's right, you know. LAGARDE Having the National Health scheme pay for the lab work also reduces your costs. SHINGLES ( ignoring him/her ) The loss of anonymity still constitutes a violation of the protocol. How are we going to explain that to the Board? Or in this case, the rest of the board ? (A beat.) FILIPOVNA Do we have to explain it to them? For the French subjects, this isn't any less confidential than any other part of their health care. SHINGLES I don't see how that solves the problem! LAGARDE (to Shingles) Would you like coffee, Sid?