Health data ethics

CIHI has a long-standing commitment to making ethical and responsible choices and decisions regarding the health data that is entrusted to us, guided by our values of integrity, inclusion, collaboration, excellence and innovation. We protect the privacy of Canadians by ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of their health information, and we strive to consider and mitigate ethical issues as they arise.

CIHI’s Health Data Ethics Framework represents a critical step in formalizing our commitment to ethical practices with health data across our organization. It contributes a structured approach to thinking about ethical concepts and is designed to support us in making the right decisions about the collection, management and use of health data.

The open review period for the draft of CIHI’s Health Data Ethics Framework closed on January 31, 2025. Thank you to those who shared their perspectives on this framework and how it should be applied to our work with health data.

• Feedback will be considered for the version of the framework to be released in spring 2025.
• The draft framework is available below.

We continue to welcome additional feedback for future consideration, as the framework will be a living document. It will evolve as we gain more experience with it and receive feedback from interest holders, and as new ethical issues arise for all of us to consider.