Abstract: A method for enabling participants in an information technology (IT) system or a computer network to delegate user authority to other system participants is provided. The method of the present invention includes the generation of a proxy authorization. The proxy authorization, or proxy, is used by the IT system to insure that a given participant may have access to resources on the basis of a permission granted and intended by another user or agent of the IT system, and that the grantor of the permission is authorized to issue the access and/authorities as designated by or within the proxy authorization. A medical record repository, for example may allow unlimited access to particular individual patient records to an individual medical doctor. The doctor can then authorize a specific pharmacy to have limited access to designated portions of the medical records of certain of the patients to whom the doctor is authorized access.