Return to Biostatistics Ethics Case Studies

(PLEASE NOTE: On the bottom of this page, you will find the case study we are discussing and the name of the contributor.)

Case Study: How not to share data

Please add comments and then click on the "Add comment" button.

%COMMENT{type="belowthreadmode"}%

JonathanShuster - 13 Nov 2013 - 09:24

Dr. Gelfond\x92s experience of getting pushback for a well-intentioned connection between two like-minded research teams is really unfortunate. The CTSA program is designed to break down silos and forge productive connections between investigators. As biostatisticians and epidemiologists, we often have unique information as to the diverse research programs at our institution, and are therefore well-placed to assist in team building. Dr. Gelfond is to be commended for sharing his experience so that we understand what happened in this case, and so that if others have a like experience, they can point to his commentary. But the greater good is served by being proactive. While in the future, this case will be a warning for all of us, it would be upsetting if a request to get one group together with another at the very same university would be treated so negatively.

Jonathan J. Shuster, Univ. of Florida

BiostatEthicsCaseStudyForm edit

Title_Biostatistics_Ethics_Case_Study How not to share data
Name_Case_Contributor Jonathan Gelfond
Deidentified_Material Yes
No_Copyright_Restrictions Yes
Case_Presentation The statistician was analyzing data from investigator A, while preparing a grant proposal for investigator B. All parties are at the same institution. Investigators A and B are in the same department. The statistician emailed investigators A and B, notifying them that they were working with similar data. In the email, the statistician requested that investigator A share data with investigator B for the purpose of estimating parameters for a power calculation. Investigator A was upset that the statistician revealed his collaboration and experiment to investigator B. No data was shared, but the basic design of the experiment was given to investigator B. Investigator A thought that data was shared, but was incorrect. The data was nonhuman.
See Also Fromat for educational use:


1. Title: How not to share data
2. Author: Jonathan Gelfond
3. Case study synopsis

The statistician was analyzing data from investigator A, while preparing a grant proposal for investigator B. All parties are at the same institution. Investigators A and B are in the same department. The statistician emailed investigators A and B, notifying them that they were working with similar data. In the email, the statistician requested that investigator A share data with investigator B for the purpose of estimating parameters for a power calculation. Investigator A was upset that the statistician revealed his collaboration and experiment to investigator B. No data was shared, but the basic design of the experiment was given to investigator B. Investigator A thought that data was shared, but was incorrect. The data was non-human.

4. Which key ethical principles are involved? (Privacy, confidentiality, scientific integrity, human participant protection, public good, fairness, etc.)

Keeping data confidential compared to keeping experimental designs confidential.
Should statisticians keep the basic facts of collaborations confidential?
Should confidentiality be within a department?
How do we tactfully ask to share data?

5. Identify compliance, regulatory or legal aspects.

There are no legal issues because the university does allow sharing within the institution.
The data were not protected health information because it was a nonhuman study.

6. Identify stakeholders. (Researchers, statisticians, research trainees, human participants, institutions, etc.)

Investigator A keeping data secret.
Investigator B wanting to improve proposal.
Statistician wanted to improve proposal.
Department and institution wanting mutual success of all investigators.

7. Identify the options for stakeholder actions.

Statistician could have privately asked investigator A to share data.

8. Identify the potential consequences of those options. Physical harms, legal, financial, etc.

Harming collaborative relationship with investigator A because of lack of trust.

9. Which interests, principles, rules, or laws are conflicted to one another?

Statistician working on multiple projects cannot maximize success of all of them without sharing data, but data should remain confidential.

10. What is the role of reporting and accountability?

Investigator A could lodge a complaint within institution.

11. What would you do as anyone of the stakeholders?

12. What actually happened (if applicable)?

Investigator A contacted the supervisor of the statistician to register a complaint about lack of confidentiality.
Ultimately, investigator A chose to share data.

13. Are there systems, processes, regulations, or laws that can be created or changed to avoid similar problems going forward?

The statisticians department could have formal procedures to request data sharing between departments.
The statistician could make collaborative agreement prior to beginning work that explains data sharing policies.

14. Any supporting materials. (Videos, images, tables, graphs, slides, papers, etc.)
Disclaimer The views expressed within CTSpedia are those of the author and must not be taken to represent policy or guidance on the behalf of any organization or institution with which the author is affiliated.
This topic: CTSpedia > WebHome > EthicsBiostat > StatEthicsCaseStudies > BiostatEthicsCaseStudy007
Topic revision: 13 Nov 2013, JonathanShuster
This site is powered by FoswikiCopyright © by the contributing authors. All material on this collaboration platform is the property of the contributing authors.
Ideas, requests, problems regarding Foswiki? Send feedback