[POCT-management during the first wave of Covid-19 in France. Results of a national survey leaded by the SFBC-POCT Working Group]

During the first wave of Covid-19 in France, in spring 2020, healthcare institution's laboratory had to adapt itself quickly to the growing demand for emergency biology, in particular by reorganizing their POCT analyzers: redeployment of analyzers and/or new installations. In order to analyze this management, a subgroup of 15 hospital biologists from the SFBC Working Group "Biochemical markers of Covid-19" sent, in fall 2020, an on-line survey to French hospital laboratories using POCT. Answers analysis (n = 86) shows a territorial disparity related to the severity of the first wave: increased activity essentially in red zones, management of unexpected situations, training of additional nursing staff for 40 % of the laboratories... The survey also showed simplification of aspects related to accreditation those periods of health crisis. An additional survey, carried out in the spring of 2021, showed good overall satisfaction of the healthcare services (n = 139) concerning the services provided by biology in the POCT sector. Because of their great adaptation capacity, the laboratories and their POCT-teams have played a key role in the management of the first wave of Covid-19 in France. However, the success of these organizations requires an essential collaboration between laboratories and healthcare services. The results of this survey are fundamental in the context of the prolongation of the pandemia throughout the world with a POCT sector appearing to be growing.

[Adaptation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to a smartphone app for rhinitis and asthma (MASK-air®)]

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulates the processing of personal data in the European Union. The legal context is adapted to follow the evolution of technologies and of society. This new European regulation became mandatory, especially for connected devices, on May 25, 2018. An app originally known as "The Allergy Diary" is available for Android phones and iPhones. Its name was recently changed to MASK-air. The downloading and use of this app are free of charge and there are no adverts. It enables users to record their symptoms and their medications to better track the progress of their allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. It has been developed by public (Foundation FMC VIA-LR, University of Montpellier) and private (KYomed INNOV) organizations based in France and therefore falls under French jurisdiction. This article summarizes the five main principles of personal data protection to be respected during the development of the app: purpose, proportionality and relevance, limited retention period, security and confidentiality, as well as the rights of the people who are involved in the management of the personal data (including withdrawal and modification).

[Evolution of the regulatory framework in clinical research]

The regulatory framework of clinical research is necessary to ensure the protection of participants and to define the actors and their responsibilities. Although main principles have been set up in 1947 with the Nuremberg Code, this regulatory framework is relatively recent in Europe: development of national regulations in the years 1980-1990, first European Directive regarding clinical trials in 2001. In France, as 2006 was marked by the implementation of this first "Clinical trials Directive", the end of the year 2016 and the following months were marked by the enforcement of the Jardé law (previously modified in order to reinforce the regulatory requirements following the death of an healthy volunteer in a clinical trial). As clinical researches involve processing of personal data, the entry into force, on 25 May 2018, of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) had also consequences on their implementation. Finally, regarding clinical trials on drugs, the "Clinical trials Regulation" repealing the Directive, voted in 2014, should come into force in the coming months.