Surprise, you’ve got heart trouble
An error that saw the 84,000 health records delivered to a private research firm was “extremely unfortunate”, though not a systematic problem, Astrid Krag (Socialistisk Folkeparti), the health minister, said yesterday. Statens Serum Institut, the national lab, reportedly sent the medial records to the firm CCBR. The records were made available as part of standard practice that sees Statens Serum Institut provide researchers health and contact information for individuals who might be suited for medical trials. CCBR had requested 200 names, and many of the names it received were of people who did not have a heart ailment, as it requested. Assuming the individuals were ill, the firm sent out letters inviting them to participate in a trial for individuals with heart problems. – DR Nyheder

SEE RELATED: Doctors warn of health data abuse

An offer she couldn’t afford to refuse
Health authorities have ruled that local councils may order the unemployed to undergo a medical treatment, even if a doctor recommends another form of treatment. The decision was handed down in a case involving a woman who feared that if she underwent back surgery, she would wind up in more pain. Her doctor recommended physical therapy but the council threatened to stop paying the woman’s monthly cash benefit if she refused to undergo the operation. Doctors called the decision “unethical” and said they doubted any surgeon would carry out a medical procedure on someone who did not want it. – Jyllands-Posten

SEE RELATED: Politician to unemployed mother: “It's good you're sterilised”

Doubly bad day for Metro
Construction of the Metro City Ring line could be facing an additional cost of 750 million kroner and a six-month delay after an arbitrator yesterday upheld noise complaints and ruled that it may not work at night. Natur- og miljøklagenævnet said that until the city of Copenhagen draws up new guidelines, the ban on night work, already in its second month, will remain in effect. The 17-station City Ring is projected cost is 21.3 billion kroner and is expected to be complete in 2018. News of the decision came on the same day that Tecnimont, one of three Italian contractors building the City Ring, confirmed speculation that it was pulling out of the project. Although the details remained unclear, it is believed that Tecnimont has sold its 40 percent stake to Salini, another of the contractors. No delays were expected as a result of the move. – Berlingske 

DEEP TROUBLE: See a full list of previous articles about problems with City Ring construction

A reform for the worse
The state agency responsible for a number of family-related legal issues has seen its service level go from bad to worse, say lawyers and family advocates. Earlier this year Statsforvaltningen was reorganised in a move that was intended to make the agency more efficient, but instead it has led to longer waiting times and mounting numbers of unprocessed cases. – Politiken

SEE RELATED: Forced removal of children from criminal families proposed

Editorial Excerpt | The bank bailout that lacks public support 
Many will argue that big banks are too dangerous, but imagine if we only had small banks. Then we’d be safe, wouldn’t we? The truth is that such beliefs ignore the fact that, for commercial borrowers, there are clear benefits to having big banks – like Danske Bank, the nation’s largest bank. It also ignores that big banks are involved in international competition, and that Danish banks are responsible for developing a highly efficient workforce and economic growth. So we need to live with something Dangerous, but just was does it mean to be dangerous? – Børsen

SEE RELATED: Broad political agreement behind new bank deal 

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