Balancing Harm Reduction With Maximizing Benefits: A Review of Principle 5 of the Pan-Canadian Health Data Charter.

Abstract

Principle 5 of the Pan-Canadian Health Data Charter highlights the importance of maximizing public benefit from reusing health data with minimizing harm, focusing on quality, security, privacy, and reliable governance. This article brings together findings showing that Canada's fragmented and non-interoperable data landscape, along with inconsistent governance, leads to reduced clinical safety, slower research and innovation progress, and significant economic setbacks. Moreover, prioritizing privacy above all can unintentionally hinder valuable data sharing. Our recommendations are to mandate data sharing with protective safeguards, implement national interoperability standards, shift towards stewardship models, and create culturally grounded health data governance for Indigenous and equity-seeking groups.