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What is anonymous?
Author(s) -
Nietfeld J Jaap
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1038/sj.embor.7400999
Subject(s) - terminology , biobank , anonymity , statement (logic) , identity (music) , harmonization , psychology , computer science , medicine , genealogy , internet privacy , political science , law , computer security , biology , genetics , philosophy , history , aesthetics , linguistics
One can readily agree with Bernice Elger and Arthur Caplan's conclusion in their Viewpoint on ‘Consent and anonymization in research involving biobanks’ that “[t]o maximize the benefit of biobanks and genetic databases for both research and public health, a single ethical framework is essential, which requires a harmonization of the terminology about anonymity” (Elger & Caplan, 2006). However, one has to disagree with their statement that “[i]f samples contain any trace of DNA, they are not truly anonymous, because it is always possible to identify the donor through DNA fingerprinting.”According to Webster's Dictionary (1991 edition), ‘to identify’ means ‘to establish the identity’, and ‘identity’ means ‘who a person is’. The latter term is generally accepted to comprise at least a name, as well as date and place of birth. …