THE ETHICS OF DATA UTILIZATION - A COMPARISON BETWEEN EPIDEMIOLOGY AND JOURNALISM

Legal controls over data collection in European countries have badly a ffected the work of epidemiologists. By contrast, journalists have bee n allowed far greater freedoms. The aims and tasks of both professions are in line with accepted values in our society-especially those of i nquiry and the benefits of an open society. Society seems willing to a ccept that, in the interests of wider public good, journalism may some times invade individuals' privacy and do them harm, but it is not prep ared to offer epidemiology an equal measure of tolerance.