Consent for the linkage of data for public health research: is it (or should it be) an absolute pre-requisite?

Data linkage research is being conducted in an evolving and complex environment. The National Health and Medical Research Council's Guidelines Under Section 95 of the Privacy Act 1988 and National Statement on Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Humans allow scope for such research to be legally and ethically acceptable, although conducted without consent. Although the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 will extend privacy requirements into the private sector and into the areas of health statistics and health service management, it is vital that valid and useful public health research will be allowed to continue in a broadly similar framework.