The aim of the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII) of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is to create a harmonized framework for nationwide access to and exchange of (patient) data. The University of Münster (UniMS) participates in the MII as part of the HiGHmed consortium and is committed to the goals of the MII. In order to implement the goals of the MII, ethical and legal frameworks and governance measures for access to (patient) data as well as for the use and deployment of analysis methods and routines in the sites/institutions participating in the MII must be created in addition to the corresponding technical and organizational requirements. Therefore, the UniMS establishes the Use and Access Committee (UAC) of the UniMS (hereinafter also referred to as "UAC" or "UAC Münster" for short) as a central element of ethical-legal governance.

The UAC Münster is a committee composed mainly of members of the UniMS and the University Hospital Münster (UKM) who are involved in the MII within the HiGHmed consortium. The UAC Münster is particularly dedicated to the task of reviewing applications for the release and use of (patient) data as well as applications for the use of analytical methods and routines according to organizational, (data protection) legal, ethical and scientific aspects and to approve or reject applications for use accordingly.

For requests for release and/or use of biomaterials, the responsible biobanks and clinics of UKM and UniMS, respectively, remain solely responsible.

All persons and institutions involved in the UAC acknowledge that making (patient) data available or sharing them with other clinical and scientific institutions or with their staff is of great importance for the acquisition of new medical knowledge and the improvement of medical care, in compliance with the applicable legal regulations. The UAC is part of a system of measures and efforts with the aim of better networking and exchanging (patient) data, while respecting the legitimate interests and rights of patients and good scientific practice, and thus making the data available for analyses and research beyond the Münster site.