Myth Buster: HIPAA and the Common Rule regulate research in the same way

MYTH: HIPAA and the Common Rule regulate research in the same way.

FACT: HIPAA and the Common Rule differ in their scope and application.

While the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the Common Rule both define "research" in the same way, the two regulations differ in their scope and the individuals or entities to which they apply. The key distinction is that the HIPAA Privacy Rule regulates the use of individuals’ health information for research while the Common Rule regulates the ethical performance of research involving human subjects. To learn more about this and other differences between HIPAA and the Common Rule, please read our Myth Buster below.