Privacy Protection for Open Sharing of Psychiatric and Behavioral Research Data: Ethical Considerations and Recommendations

Abstract

Data sharing within psychiatric and behavioral research represents a novel application of ethical principles in practice; however, it suffers from a dearth of practical experience and established ethical norms. In this study, we comprehensively examined the ethical considerations surrounding the acquisition, management, sharing, and utilization of such data. We graded sensitive data and suggest ethical standards for privacy protection based on varying levels of data sensitivity. The objective of this study is to foster orderly and standardized open sharing of psychiatric and behavioral research data, thereby advancing the development and progress of related academic disciplines in China. This Chinese expert consensus has been registered on the International Guide Registration platform (Registration Number: PREPARE-2024CN412).