Skip to Content

Research in Ohio

< Return to Research

Ohio law permits protected health information to be used for research purposes, in an effort to improve the quality of health care available to residents in the state.   Health service agencies in the state will compile, analyze and disseminate technical information and data identifying statistical trends and gaps in health care services within the health service area.1

The law enables data regarding certain diseases and conditions to be used for research purposes.   Information reported to the cancer registry may be used for statistical, scientific or medical research for the purposes of reducing mortality or morbidity of malignant disease, if the proposed research project meets certain standards and criteria.  Researchers may contact individual cancer patients to seek additional information or request participation in the project if both the patient and his physician consent.2  Information from the birth defects registry may be disclosed for medical research studies, if the study meets a number of standards and conditions, including prior approval of a complete research application by the department’s institutional review board.3  The director of health may collect and analyze epidemiological information related to tuberculosis cases and trends.4  The director of health may also conduct comparative effectiveness studies of anonymous/confidential HIV testing programs as epidemiological programs.5  The registry of pregnancy losses may be used to conduct epidemiological studies to determine causal relationships between pregnancy losses and other factors and conditions.6

Footnotes

  • 1. Ohio Rev. Code § 3702.58
  • 2. Ohio Admin. Code 3701-4-03
  • 3. Ohio Admin. Code 3701-57-04
  • 4. Ohio Rev. Code § 3701.146
  • 5. Ohio Rev. Code § 3701.241
  • 6. Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.031

 

Research in Ohio

Subtopic Statute/Regulation Description
Publicly reported health information used for research (disease specific, registry data) (Cross reference Public Health Data Collection) Cancer incidence surveillance system rules – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.262 Each physician, dentist, hospital, or person providing diagnostic or treatment services to patients with cancer is responsible for reporting each...
Duties and powers regarding tuberculosis – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.146 The director of health will engage in the following activities with regard to tuberculosis: Surveillance activities, including the collection and...
Federal grants for monitoring, studying and preventing pregnancy losses – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.031 The director of health will use available grants received from the federal government and other sources to establish a population-based pregnancy...
Ohio cancer incidence surveillance system – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.261 The Director of Health must establish a population-based cancer registry, which shall be known as the Ohio cancer incidence surveillance system, to...
Confidentiality of research data (Cross reference Privacy & Confidentiality): Researchers prohibited from further disclosing information Confidentiality; research – Ohio Admin. Code 3701-4-03 “Confidentiality; research”   Any information, data, and reports with respect to a case of malignant disease that are furnished to...
Confidentiality; research – Ohio Admin. Code 3701-57-04 Information, data and reports with respect to a birth defects case that is furnished to, or obtained by, the birth defects information system or by...
Protected health information – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.17 Protected health information is defined as information in any form that describes an individual’s past, present, or future physical or mental...
Records are confidential – exceptions – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3705.32 Records received and information assembled by the birth defects information system are confidential medical records, accessible only by the director...
Confidentiality of research data (Cross reference Privacy & Confidentiality): Researchers may only disclose the minimum necessary to achieve research goals Confidentiality; research – Ohio Admin. Code 3701-4-03 “Confidentiality; research”   Any information, data, and reports with respect to a case of malignant disease that are furnished to...
Confidentiality; research – Ohio Admin. Code 3701-57-04 Information, data and reports with respect to a birth defects case that is furnished to, or obtained by, the birth defects information system or by...
Protected health information – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.17 Protected health information is defined as information in any form that describes an individual’s past, present, or future physical or mental...
Records are confidential – exceptions – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3705.32 Records received and information assembled by the birth defects information system are confidential medical records, accessible only by the director...
Studies for epidemiological purposes Director to develop and administer AIDS and HIV related programs – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.241 The director of health will have the following responsibilities with respect to AIDS and HIV –related programs: Develop a surveillance...
Ohio cancer incidence surveillance system – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.261 The Director of Health must establish a population-based cancer registry, which shall be known as the Ohio cancer incidence surveillance system, to...
Use of publicly reported data for research purposes Disclosure of medical and health information – Ohio Admin. Code 3701-5-12 The state or registrar may disclose data from vital statistics records including data from the “information for medical and health use only...
Office of women’s health initiatives – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.141 The women’s health program has been established in the department of health, which will engage in the following activities: Identify,...
Purposes of system – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3705.31 “Purposes of system”   The birth defects information system may be used to performing the follow in regards to the congenital...
Authorization needed for disclosure of information for research purposes (Cross reference Privacy & Confidentiality) Protected health information – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3701.17 Protected health information is defined as information in any form that describes an individual’s past, present, or future physical or mental...
Mortality/morbidity studies (disease specific, or specific to a certain population) Purposes of system – Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3705.31 “Purposes of system”   The birth defects information system may be used to performing the follow in regards to the congenital...
Other Responsibility for reporting – Ohio Admin. Code 3701-4-02 The Ohio cancer incidence surveillance system has been established and will be developed and administered by the department of health.  The...
Click on the individual state law in the table above to see our summary of the individual law.


Welcome to Health Information & the Law

Please provide the following information and continue to the site.

by Dr. Radut.