(a) Any hospital, health care facility, medical or skilled nursing home, or other organization rendering patient care may provide information, interviews, reports, statements, memoranda, or other data relating to the condition and treatment of any person to research groups approved by the medical staff of the institution involved, to governmental health agencies, medical associations and societies, or to any in-hospital medical staff committee, to be used in the course of any study for the purpose of reducing rates of morbidity or mortality; and no liability of any kind or character for damages or other relief shall arise or be enforced against any person or organization by reason of having provided such information or material, or by reason of having released or published the findings and conclusions of such groups to advance medical research or medical education or to achieve the most effective use of health manpower and facilities, or by reason of having released or published generally a summary of such studies.

(b) The research groups approved by the medical staff of the institution involved, governmental health agencies, medical associations and societies, or any in-hospital medical staff committee shall use or publish material described in subsection (a) of this Code section only for the purpose of advancing medical research or medical education, or to achieve the most effective use of health manpower and facilities, in the interest of reducing rates of morbidity or mortality, except that a summary of such studies may be released by any such group for general publication.

(c) In all events the identity of any person whose condition or treatment has been studied pursuant to this Code section shall be confidential and shall not be revealed under any circumstances.