Anticipating ethical questions

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At the beginning of any research involving collecting personal data, prior even to validating the research, certain steps are obligatory. But above and beyond this, there are ethical questions about the choices, means, and end-purposes of research. Open science data sharing also raises specific questions.

Researchers may use several tools and approach various people to help them address these complex issues :

  • Read the national deontology charter signed by the CPU to be aware of all the issues and expectations concerning researchers

  • Contact the Research Ethics Committee (CER) to request ethics compliance certification for research projects where this is required.

  • Contact the university’s scientific integrity adviser for any deontological or ethical question.

  • Contact the university’s data protection delegate for aspects relating to personal or sensitive data, or when the study looks at vulnerable people (minors, the elderly, prisoners, etc.)

  • conduct a private life impact analysis, also called a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) whenever processing personal data might present a high risk for the rights and freedoms of those concerned.

  • For biomedical research involving human beings, it is obligatory under the Jardé law to obtain authorisation from a Comité de Protection des Personnes (committee for the protection of people)

  • Adopt from the outset practices complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) :

    • collect only data necessary for your purposes which must be explicit and legitimate

    • do not conserve data once these purposes have been accomplished

    • ensure the security and confidentiality of data

    • when collecting personal data, provide prior information, obtain written consent covering all subsequent usage, and provide a contact for requests to rectify or delete data.