Medical records review, or retrospective analysis of medical records, constitutes a significant part of medical research. Ethical concerns, especially issues of confidentiality, have resulted in the introduction of stringent regulations in doing this form of research. The merits and demerits of these new regulations are being debated all over the world. The introduction of regulations for individual informed consent will prove costly to Indian physicians. Attempts are being made to evolve a consensus in which ethical concerns are given due respect without discouraging research.