Information on individuals with cancer can only be released for research purposes to qualified researchers who have obtained approval for the study from the Georgia Department of Public Health federally approved Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects and have agreed to maintain the confidentiality of the information they collect.
For more information on the procedures to use Georgia cancer data for studies involving patient contact or for studies involving linkages with the registry without patient contact, send an email to the Director of the Georgia Center for Cancer Statistics, Dr. Kevin Ward (kward@emory.edu), and copy the Director of the Georgia Cancer Registry, Rana Bayakly (Rana.Bayakly@dph.state.ga.gov).
*Legal authority for the Georgia Department of Public Health to collect health information is provided in Chapter 12 of the Official Code of Georgia. Official Code 13-12-1 empowers the Department to "....conduct studies ,research, and training appropriate to the prevention of diseases...". Official Code 31-12-2 allows the Department to declare certain diseases and injuries to be reported in a manner and at such times as may be prescribed. Under this authority, information on persons with cancer is required to be reported to the Department or its designated agent.