A collaboration between the research centre iPSYCH at Aarhus University and American MIT has led to criticism in the Danish newspaper Politiken.

2018.03.12 | Anders Correll

Photo: Colourbox

For the last three years, Aarhus University has collaborated with the Broad Institute at MIT on the analysis of heel prick blood samples. These are anonymised (or un-identified) samples, which means that they are only marked with a test number and not, for example, with a civil registration number, name, address or similar. 

The data is made available on a supercomputer at the Broad Institute. Access to the data is subject to stringent requirements made by American government agencies and is restricted to persons affiliated with the research project. The iPSYCH Centre at Aarhus University carries out the research itself. They have made great efforts to safeguard data privacy both prior to the signing of the contract and during the subsequent collaboration. 

The Broad Institute is a part of the internationally recognised university MIT in Boston, and there are absolutely no signs to suggest that they do not comply with the agreements that data material from iPSYCH must be destroyed or returned after use. iPSYCH has been in continuous dialogue with the Broad Institute regarding the safeguarding of data material and staff from the university have visited Boston and worked with the database. 

IPSYCH is very aware of the fact that the forwarded material must be handled correctly. The authorities have consented to the biological material being passed on to iPSYCH, and for them to then use it for research purposes. Furthermore, the basis for transfer of data to the Broad Institute is an approved EU standard contract. AU is in general currently undertaking significant work to ensure that the university meets the requirements contained in the data security regulation which comes into force on 25 May 2018.

In today’s edition of the newspaper, Politiken questions whether Aarhus University has undertaken sufficient control of data security at the Broad Institute.

To this, University Director Arnold Boon replies:

"Our researchers have been over there several times, and they have also explicitly discussed security with the institute. However, it is correct that we have not completed work on any model for the control of data security, or how we will report on this. We are now aware of this. We need to draw-up a formalised follow-up on how the Broad Institute works with data security," says Arnold Boon.

"We are committed to living up to the legislative requirements. If there are areas where we can see that we need to do things better, then we must also do this."

Further information

• Anders Correll, tel.: (+45) 2899 2235