We read with interest the letter by Christopher Cosgriff and colleagues1 about the
importance of sharing COVID-19 data for the greater good. Although many aggregate
datasets have been made available, the potential to conduct secondary analysis of
this data is small, and Cosgriff and colleagues1 rightly emphasised that patient-level
data is necessary. However, sharing patient-level data is challenging because of an
absence of interoperability and sharing of patient records, especially across geographical
borders, and issues of individual consent and ensuring anonymity.
Source: www.thelancet.com