On Taking the Data?

Anonymous for the Moment asks: "While working in a grant-paid position in a big University, I had access to massive amounts of administrative health data. I was repeatedly, over the course of months, told to take data and not tell the people who were in charge of it that I had it (which is a big no-no). I informed the people who held the data, but they were mostly non-responsive, and I figured this was because they would get in trouble with the province and the people who's records they were keeping. I finally blew the whistle to the Ethics Committee, but it has been over six months, and they too have not responded. I am wondering how long I should wait before going to the media and letting the people of the province know that their data is not being treated with respect. Has anyone else had an experience where they were told to access other's data without permission? I am aware of others at my University who have been put in similar situations, but is it just my University, or is it more widespread than that?"

Comments

Maybe...

[Twirlip of the Mists]

Your account of your situation was understandably one-sided. Has the thought crossed your mind that perhaps the ethics committee hasn't done anything about this problem because they simply don't think it's a very big deal?

I have no way of knowing, from your post, whether your situation is actually significant or not. It may seem significant to you, but to others it may seem trivial at best. Before you go wasting anybody else's time on this, you might want to take a little time to consider whether it's really worth getting all up-in-arms about.

For all I know, you may have done this already. But if you haven't, please do so.

Re:Maybe...

[91degrees]

Well, the ethics committee could at least have sent a quick reply saying They've looked into this, and feel there are no ethical problems with the status quo.

If someone has qualms about it, the ethics committee should consider it.

Ethics committee?

[SolemnDragon]

The more people who know about the situation, your stance on it, and your formal complaint, the better off you'll be when it comes to light, legally speaking. So i trust that you've made copies of your correspondence. Next time, write a letter referring to the situation, and indicating their lack of response. Send THAT letter- the one without the details- to your legislative representatives in cc. As well as any other body who might have jurisdiction, include state compliance boards if you have any. Indicate the number of times that you have attempted to address this.

And get a GOOD lawyer. NOW. You're gonna need one. But if you're the whistleblower, you stand a good chance of being oke- just make sure that you've got documentation of the incidents when they happen, and of your attempts to let your workplace correct the situation. Did i mention the really good lawyer you should be calling?