Mainzelliste: Ten years of pseudonymization, record linkage, and informed consent management.

Tremper, Galina; Brenner, Torben; Ben Amor, Moanes; Kussel, Tobias; Lablans, Martin · Patterns (N Y) · 2026

other · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Record linkage and pseudonymization are crucial tasks in collaborative biomedical research. Data for a patient are rarely stored in one place and therefore often need to be linked and integrated across multiple institutions. Mainzelliste is an open-source software solution designed to solve these challenges by providing a comprehensive and flexible toolkit for pseudonymization, record linkage, and consent management. It supports a variety of pseudonyms, record linkage methods, and modular, informed patient consents. A highly flexible REST application programming interface (API) allows tight integration into existing applications and workflows. Since its initial release in 2015, Mainzelliste has evolved into a vibrant open-source software solution "by researchers, for researchers" including a user-friendly graphical interface, support for HL7 FHIR for consent and patient data, and record linkage based on secure multi-party computation, thereby supporting secure and efficient biomedical research.