School turns over student's info for medical research, without consent

[KBCraig]

Lots of comments at the site below. Check the statement in bold.

http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0206/302471.html

From KATV:
Mother Claims Daughter's Medical Records Used Without Consent
Location: Arkadelphia
Reporter: Anne Pressly
Posted: February 13, 2006 7:04 PM EST
URL: http://www.katv.com/news/stories//302471.html

Arkadelphia - An Arkadelphia mother claims her daughter's medical records were used in a study without parental consent. The child's personal records were taken and copied by autism researchers at UAMS. The parents didn't find out until years later, and now they want those records back.

The child was no longer enrolled in Arkadelphia schools when the research was conducted. Still, the local superintendent says the district had every right to release the child's records without telling her parents.

Shari Parker wants answers. Her daughter, who she does not want identified on camera, suffers from autism. A document outlines the 2003-2004 UAMS and CDC-sponsored research project, which looked into possible causes of autism in the state of Arkansas and nationwide by getting education and medical records from schools.

The Arkansas Department of Education signed off on the project, and so did the school district, but no parents ever knew their child's personal information was shared with researchers.

(Shari Parker, Daughter?s Records Reviewed) "Why did the study have to be secret? Why did the study have to be done in such a way that parents weren't notified? What is the purpose of that?"

Parker found out from a former employee that her daughter's records were used in the study. She became concerned when she found out the data collected for a similar study in Colorado were stolen from a government laptop computer, and that information similar to what was taken of her daughter?s was misplaced. Still, Arkadelphia Superintendent Tony Prothro says everything was done legally since the study was approved by the Department of Education.

(Dr. Tony Prothro, Superintendent) "Any time a student's records are released...we must contact the parent...unless it is the Department of Education or one of its constituencies."

Channel Seven tried to contact UAMS Monday, and officials would not offer comment.