Ethics, big data and computing in epidemiology and public health

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Bioethics
• Public Health

Background:

• The American College of Epidemiology (ACE) Ethics Committee reviewed its 2000 Ethics Guidelines.
• Evolving complexities in epidemiology, particularly concerning "big data," necessitated an update.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elaborate on knowledge gained since the original ACE Ethics Guidelines.
• To discuss the evolving complexities of ethics and epidemiology in the context of big data.

Main Methods:

• A symposium session was presented at the 2016 Epidemiology Congress of the Americas.
• The article summarizes and further discusses the symposium's key topics and findings.

Main Results:

• Key topics included policy implications of big data, the nature of "secondary" data, and citizen duties in big data contribution.
• A balanced perspective is crucial, safeguarding individuals while advancing population health research.

Conclusions:

• Technological advancements have led to massive data repositories, raising concerns about data integrity, privacy, and consent.
• Recommendations are provided for teaching ethics in epidemiology, research practices, public health, and policy.