Freedom of the Press

[The Artist formerly known as Sappho]

When I broke my back, The Alfred Hospital asked me to become involved in two longevity studies looking at various aspects of the long term effects of spinal injuries and it's impact on my lifestyle and quality of life. Both requests were made in writing, sent via snail mail and provided a summary of the studies, the expectations they had of subjects and an option to have access to the final reports. They were sent a couple of months after the injury whilst I was still in recovery, but over the initial trauma emotionally. I signed the consent forms enclosed and now get the occasional evening phone call or qualitative/quantitative survey to complete. One study is now complete and the report was sent as promised. No probs there.

I think the above is a better option than that which you present as a thought experiment for the Medicare case. I too would have been very upset if they had just rung out of the blue like that.

[donniedarko]

Exactly.

They sought your informed consent first, instead of weighing up whether it was in the public interest to give your name to a researcher who has nothing to do with the Alfred Hospital.

[The Artist formerly known as Sappho]

Exactly.

They sought your informed consent first, instead of weighing up whether it was in the public interest to give your name to a researcher who has nothing to do with the Alfred Hospital.

Actually, the Alfred Hospital did give them my name and the research was done in conjunction with the Alfred Hospitals Trauma Research Unit. I didn't mind that. What I had issue with was the way in which consent was sort in your example. Through a phone call, rather than through a detailed letter explaining the scope and intent of the research and my place within that scope. That letter also included a form which gave them my consent if signed. It was non intrusive. It gave me space to think about whether I wanted to be involved. There was no pressure to be involved.

I see the need for the Alfred Hospital to give out patient details to researchers, but I don't see why that first contact from the researchers needs to be so intrusive as your example provides.

More later. Visitors just arrived.

[Shared Puppet]

The only way to have privacy in the modern world is to be so shamelessly open about all aspects of your life that people get bored with hearing about it and leave you alone.

[Shared Puppet]

And let's not forget the major engine, driver, power that pushed to uncover The News of the World was a newspaper, The Guardian. They were as relentless as the Metropolitan Police and Politicians were apathetic.

Freedom of the press works.