Expert Advisory Group on Data Access

"The Expert Advisory Group on Data Access (EAGDA) was established by the Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK, the Economic and Social Research Council, and the Medical Research Council to provide strategic advice on the emerging scientific, legal and ethical issues associated with data access for human genetics research and cohort studies. The EAGDA will perform three crucial roles. It will: [1] Provide expert advice to the partner funders on key strategic issues in relation to data access. [2] Support current and future study Data Access Committees (DACs) across the fields of genetics, epidemiology and the social sciences – identifying best practice and encouraging consistency in decision making. N.B. The Group will act at a strategic level: it will not make decisions on individual access applications, or monitor or scrutinise the operations of individual DACs. Rather, it will act as a recognised UK authority on the governance of data access to which both funders and study DACs can refer new and problematic issues that arise for timely and authoritative advice. [3] Seek to enhance the UK’s input into international policy discussions on data access...."