Privacy handled the way it should be
The Right Privacy Law, Applied to the Right Activity.
MDTrials public website is intended for business, sponsor, CRO, investigator and clinic enquiries. Please do not submit patient-identifiable information, medical records, diagnoses, medication histories, laboratory results or other personal health information through general website forms or business email routes.
Clinical research involves sensitive personal and health information. The privacy rules that apply depend on the information, jurisdiction, clinical setting and legal relationship involved. MDTrials determines those obligations for the relevant activity rather than applying one privacy statute to every circumstance.
Applicable privacy framework.
Our activities may be subject to Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) for provincially regulated private-sector activities, Alberta's Health Information Act (HIA) where we act for or with a health-information custodian, and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) where it applies, including certain interprovincial or federal private-sector contexts. [R21–R23]
Collect only what the purpose needs
Operational principles
- Collect and use only information needed for the defined purpose and role
- Role-based access and confidentiality controls
- Documented data-sharing and processing arrangements where required
- Security safeguards proportionate to the sensitivity of information
- Retention and disposition according to applicable regulatory, legal and contractual requirements
- Defined privacy responsibility and incident and escalation procedures
Research Data
Clinical-trial participant information is handled differently. Where MDTrials CRO or MDTrials Sites is assigned responsibilities that involve participant information, that handling occurs within approved study-specific workflows under the protocol, informed-consent process, research-ethics approval, applicable privacy requirements and the relevant study agreements. Access is limited to the information required for the assigned role.
Website enquiries
General website forms are for business and partnership enquiries. Do not submit personal health information through these forms. Participant or health-related enquiries should be directed to the relevant study site or clinician using an approved study-specific contact route.
Frequent Questions
- Which privacy law applies to clinical research in Alberta?It depends on the activity and the relationship. Alberta PIPA applies to provincially regulated private-sector activity; the Health Information Act applies where we act for or with a health-information custodian; PIPEDA applies in certain federal and interprovincial contexts. Alberta PIPA has been deemed substantially similar to PIPEDA, so in many Alberta private-sector circumstances PIPA applies instead.
- Where is data held?Hosting and data-residency arrangements are confirmed per system and per engagement and are set out in our privacy notice and in study agreements.
- Can I submit health information through your website?No. Please do not submit personal health information through general website forms. Participant enquiries should use the study-specific contact route provided by the site.
CONTACT US