article · Journal of Law and the Biosciences
Health data sharing plays an essential role in delivering healthcare, conducting medical research, and tracking disease outbreaks. However, data sharing across jurisdictions depends on regulatory structures that differ widely. Across the African continent, regulatory efforts face complications arising from technological, motivational, economic, and political obstacles, alongside complex legal and ethical challenges. To evaluate these conditions, a comparative study examined and contrasted the legal and policy frameworks operating within five African countries. The analysis revealed notable gaps and inconsistencies across existing national regulatory regimes. In response to these shortcomings, the work puts forward recommendations aimed at strengthening and harmonising the regulation of health data sharing across African jurisdictions.
Effective medical research and pandemic surveillance rely on sharing health information securely and legally. Clear rules are vital to protect patient rights while allowing vital information to move where it is needed. Identifying gaps across different African national policies helps legal authorities and regional bodies align standards, making cross-border healthcare research and public health responses more coordinated and dependable.
This legal and policy analysis could guide policymakers, regulatory compliance teams, and health data networks seeking to navigate or standardise data transfer requirements across borders. Because the study focuses on comparative legal frameworks and policy recommendations, it represents early-stage regulatory guidance rather than a deployable commercial product or service.
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The sharing of health data is an essential component in the provision of healthcare, in medical research, and disease surveillance. Health data sharing is subject to regulatory frameworks that vary across jurisdictions. In Africa, numerous factors complicate the regulation of health data sharing, including technological, motivational, economic, and political barriers, as well as ethical and legal challenges. This comparative study examines the regulation of health data sharing in Africa by comparing and contrasting the legal and policy frameworks of five African countries. The study identifies gaps and inconsistencies in the current regulatory regimes and provides recommendations for improving the regulation of health data sharing in Africa.
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DOI: 10.1093/jlb/lsad035
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