function efIACUserCanAccessDatabaseGroups(&$user, &$accessGroups, $action) {
    $dbw = wfGetDB(DB_MASTER);
    $allowedGroups = explode(',,', $accessGroups);

    $allowedGroupsString = '';
    foreach($allowedGroups as $group) {
        $group = strtolower($dbw->strencode($group));
        $allowedGroupsString .= "'{$group}',";
    } //foreach
    $allowedGroupsString = substr($allowedGroupsString, 0, -1); //remove trailing comma

    $userName = $dbw->strencode(trim($user->getName()));

    $res = $dbw->query("
        SELECT DISTINCT u.user_name FROM `user` u, `group` g, `user_group` ug
        WHERE LOWER(CONVERT(g.group_name USING utf8)) IN ({$allowedGroupsString}) AND
        u.user_name = '{$userName}' AND
        ug.user_id = u.user_id AND
        ug.group_id = g.group_id"
    );

    if ($res->numRows() == 0) {
        return false;
    } else {
        efIACDebugLog("(efIACUserCanAccessDatabaseGroups)" . "full access granted ");
        return true;
    } //else
} //efIACUserCanAccessDatabaseGroups