In patients ScienceDaily (17 February 2011) to participate in clinical expect their personal information will remain confidential, but recent research led by Dr. Khaled El Emam, Canada Research Chair of the information a Health Research Institute, CHEO found that security practices is used to transmit and share sensitive files is not sufficient.
Study into two parts, titled "how strong are the passwords used to protect personal health information bklini tests?," was published on 16 February Journal of medical Internet research, showed that most of the passwords used to protect files designed in easily snapped my weak password recovery utility to commercial. Research Coordinator interviews indicates that information shared in the context of the clinical studies could compromise your medical information.
"The hospital attempts these viewers that their personal information will be protected," said Dr. El Emam. "It is critical for maintaining the trust of clinical trial participants, and the public in General."
During the research, passwords for sensitive 14/15 files transmitted by e-mail were decoded successfully. Of these, 13 contained sensitive information that can identify health and other research site name, birth dates, acronyms, and gender. File sharing were also found with unsecured, unencrypted patient information shared via email and best practices posted on shared drives with common passwords.
"Decrypt passwords proved to be trivial," said Dr. El Emam. "Choices include simple passwords such as a car (for example," Nissan "), and common sequences (e.g.," 123 "). It was easier to guess the password recovery tool. "
Poor security practices can damage in patients participating in clinical, risk identified, and perhaps even stigmatized by the disclosure of medical information. You also have the option of both medical and medical identity theft. In the context of international clinical studies, the disclosure of medical information absently is considered a violation of data in countries like the United States, can lead to penalties in some countries.
Dr. El Emam believes that with effort sharing file bkliniim can be made secure: "there are protocols and tools that secure file sharing. It may take more effort on the part of those who manage clinical, but the alternative is not acceptable. "
Dr. El Emam makes several recommendations, including the enforcement of strong passwords and algorithms of encryption, encrypt all information sent via e-mail including site queries and minimize sharing password.
The research was funded by the natural sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Canada Research Chair program.
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The story above printed (with adapting to editing by a team of the day-to-day science) materials provided by the Institute of children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research.
a journal:
- Khaled El Emam, Catherine Moreau, Elizabeth Jonker. How to use strong passwords to protect your personal information to a health clinical? Journal of medical Internet research, 2011; 13 (1) 10.2196/jmir doai: .1335
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