Sweden proposes change in data law to save LifeGene project

Sweden’s government wants to cut red tape for scientists conducting registry-based research. But critics say that the change—designed to save a national flagship project—infringes privacy rules.

Changes to data privacy laws proposed by the government in June would exempt universities and university colleges from having to obtain permits to build up data collections. This would allow Sweden’s LifeGene project to continue. In 2010, the project, which involves seven Swedish universities, set out to collect data from 500,000 volunteers to map the links between environment, genetics and health problems such as diabetes and cancer.