MediciGlobal Continues its Commitment to Making Privacy Protections Available to Patients Regardless of Geographic Location
July 2010 marks MediciGlobal’s 4th anniversary of privacy re-certification
King of Prussia, PA, USA; London, UK (August 17, 2010) -Recognizing the importance information and communications technologies play in global clinical trials, and the need to transfer data across national boundaries, six years ago MediciGlobal set about exploring data privacy issues to become safe-harbor certified.
This July marked MediciGlobal’s fourth anniversary of Safe Harbor certification. MediciGlobal is pleased to announce the renewal of its privacy certification, and according to the company’s Privacy Officer, MediciGlobal is committed to making privacy protections available to patients regardless of geographic location to ensure the free flow of information necessary for conducting patient recruitment-retention programmes for clinical trials.
“Adherence to patient privacy laws is of considerable importance to our global biopharmaceutical clients.” says Liz Moench president and CEO of MediciGlobal. “Our commitment to privacy and data security systems and processes as well as the privacy training we provide for our employees are just some of the steps we take to ensure Safe Harbor compliance.”
Through the use of information technologies, MediciGlobal collects, compiles, analyses and delivers patient health information quickly and inexpensively and on a global basis. Where it was once difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to obtain compile, and analyze information, it is now often available with a few simple clicks of a computer mouse to collect information directly from patients who self-screen online or pre-screen by phone for clinical trials.
Patients in one country may easily visit clinical trial web sites in other countries, transferring personal health information across borders as they visit. Laws, which generally are limited by nations’ borders, may have little effect in a medium without borders. Both the United States and the European Union place a high priority on patient confidentiality. For MediciGlobal, Safe Harbor compliance means that all patients’ confidential information exchanged between the company and the EU countries is protected with the utmost care.
“Many pharmaceutical companies are expanding their studies globally,” Moench explained. “Our experience in working with the European Union countries in conjunction with our adherence to privacy laws makes for a smooth transition from United States based studies to global studies.”
About EU-Safe Harbor for Data Privacy
The European Commission’s Directive on Data Protection prohibits the transfer of personal data to non-European Union nations that do not meet the European “adequacy” standard for privacy protection. While the United States and the European Union (EU) both share the goal of enhancing privacy protection for their citizens, the United States and the European Union take differing approaches.
In order to bridge these different privacy approaches and provide a streamlined means for US organizations to comply with the Directive, the US Department of Commerce in consultation with the European Commission developed a “Safe Harbor” framework. The Safe Harbor - approved by the EU in July of 2000 — is an important way for US-based companies to avoid experiencing interruptions in their business dealings with the EU or facing prosecution by European authorities under European privacy laws. Certifying to the Safe Harbor assures EU organizations and citizens to know that a company adheres to and delivers “adequate” privacy protection, as defined by the Directive.
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About MediciGlobal
MediciGlobal is in the business of making a meaningful difference to patient health—by identifying and engaging patients for clinical trials, and by building deep and lasting connections with our many stakeholders. Our clinical trial recruitment practices are guided by global standards and by our concern for the lives of the patients who put their trust in us. We’re also making certain that those who participate in these trials fully understand what clinical trial participation means, and that their participation is guarded by strict privacy policies. MediciGlobal meets BBB OnLine® and WBENC accreditation standards and is certified as a Safe Harbor company. Visit www.mediciglobal.com and follow the company on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MediciGlobal.
www.mediciglobal.com
For further information contact:
Alicia Carango
+1 484-674-6855
acarango@MediciGlobal.com
