Lexis-Nexis

[METRA1001@aol.com]

  Med-Privacy:
  
  Let's score not one, but two, for med-privacy and Lewis Lorton, on his
  posting on the arguably open access to personal records. Today's Wall Street
  Journal (Thomas Weber (B7) Technology and Health, AND today's National Public
  Radio spotlighted something Lewis brought up this week about access to
  certain personal data, through Lexis-Nexis. 
  
  While in both cases, Lexis, et.al. played down concerns, one NPR interviewee
  admitted he pulled up his own records through his SS # and was not happy to
  find his non-published phone number available for whoever to see.
  
  This, according to the publisher of Privacy Times Editor Smith, has given
  rise to the concern citizens have for privacy. Especially since reports
  indicated thousands of callers have phoned L/N, to have their names and data
  removed. 
  
  I am somewhat amazed that this list has achieved such noteriety. I caution
  all, under this wide scrutiny, to constrain our conduct, and seek maximum
  accuracy in our communiques. This applies to me as well. And I applaud Lewis
  for accurately providing a caveat in his posting that the info posted had not
  been confirmed. I believe the NPR interviewee who said he saw his non-pub
  number available somewhat corroborates the forward Lewis posted.
  
  Well done, med-privacy, for we (all of us) have raised this personal privacy
  issue to an unprecedented level of national debate and awareness.
  
  Al