Please use the form below to apply for APTOS credentialing and submit a data use agreement. The following steps will help to ensure a timely review of your application:
- It is always helpful if you are an APTOS member. Please be sure to provide your email associated with your APTOS membership. Click here to learn more about APTOS membership if you are not yet a member.
- Listing a reference is also helpful. Remember to prompt your reference to expect an email about your application.
- It also helps if your reference is an APTOS member or a credentialed user. Please provide the email associated with their account.
- Please be sure to provide all requested information. Check the form carefully before submission. Submissions that are clearly incomplete, incorrect, or frivolous will be rejected.
Required fields are indicated by a red asterisk (*).
APTOS Credentialed Health Data Use Agreement 1.0.0
If I am granted access to the database:
- I will not attempt to identify any individual or institution referenced in APTOS restricted data.
- I will exercise all reasonable and prudent care to avoid disclosure of the identity of any individual or institution referenced in APTOS restricted data in any publication or other communication.
- I will not share access to APTOS restricted data with anyone else.
- I will exercise all reasonable and prudent care to maintain the physical and electronic security of APTOS restricted data.
- If I find information within APTOS restricted data that I believe might permit identification of any individual or institution, I will report the location of this information promptly by email to secretariat@asiateleophth.org, citing the location of the specific information in question.
- I have requested access to APTOS restricted data for the sole purpose of lawful use in scientific research, and I will use my privilege of access, if it is granted, for this purpose and no other.
- I have completed a training program in human research subject protections and HIPAA regulations, and I will submit proof of having done so upon request by APTOS.
- I will indicate the general purpose for which I intend to use the database in my application.
- If I openly disseminate my results, I will also contribute the code used to produce those results to a repository that is open to the research community.
- This agreement may be terminated by either party at any time, but my obligations with respect to APTOS data shall continue after termination.
Points to Note:
The contents of restricted-access clinical databases maintained by APTOS were derived from original data that contained protected health information (PHI), as defined by HIPAA. The providers of the data have given scrupulous attention to the task of locating and removing all PHI, so that the remaining data can be considered de-identified and therefore not subject to the HIPAA Privacy Rule restrictions on sharing PHI. Nevertheless, because of the richness and detail of the databases, the data will be released only to legitimate researchers under the terms and conditions described on this page.
If you agree to all of these terms and conditions, access to restricted information within APTOS clinical databases may be granted to you as an individual. Your colleagues may obtain access to these data as individuals via the same procedure.