Medical Privacy Alert

["Greg Peisert" <gpeisert@jamesgregory.com>]

Return-Path: <NewsAlert@FORHEALTHFREEDOM.ORG>
Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1999 07:59:10 -0800 (PST)
From: Institute for Health Freedom <NewsAlert@ForHealthFreedom.org>
To: Institute for Health Freedom <NewsAlert@ForHealthFreedom.org>
Reply-To: info@ForHealthFreedom.org
Subject: ACT NOW TO PROTECT YOUR MEDICAL PRIVACY
X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by proxy4.ba.best.com
id HAA06214

For or Immediate Release:  November 4, 1999
Please Forward
***********************************************************
ACT NOW TO PROTECT YOUR MEDICAL PRIVACY
Americans Have 60 Days to Comment on Proposed Medical
Privacy Rule
************************************************************
Washington, D.C.-On November 3, the Clinton administration
published its proposed rule that lays the groundwork for
creating a "unique health identifier" for every American. 
"The first step is to promise privacy protections.  Then the
administration plans to create a unique health identifier
for each and every American," said Sue Blevins, president of
the Institute for Health Freedom.

"President Clinton is touting the new regulations, saying
they would give the American public a new 'right' to medical
privacy," states Blevins.  "However, the Department of
Health and Human Services acknowledges-in its summary of the
proposed rule-that there is no statutory authority for a
private right of action for individuals to enforce their
privacy rights."  In other words, the public is being told
they have a new right to privacy when, in fact, they can't
sue or bring a private course of action for damages caused
by a breach of confidentiality, under the rule.

"The American public deserves honest reporting on this very
important issue," stresses Blevins.  "The President is using
doublespeak and is playing politics with medical privacy." 
In fact, if implemented, the proposed rule will give many
people access-through electronic databases-to patients'
medical information without first obtaining their consent. 

The proposed rule would also permit public health officials
to collect individually identifiable information-including
genetic information-without consent, if such collection is
used for public health activities, a term which is broadly
defined. 

The American public has 60 days to comment on the proposed
rule.  The rule was published in the Federal Register,
Wednesday, November 3, 1999 (Vol. 64, No. 212, pages
59917-60066, 149 pages total).  This information can be
viewed online at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html.  You
can send comments at the following Website:
http://erm.aspe.hhs.gov/ora_web/plsql/erm_rule.rule?user_id=&rule_id=228.

Note:  The Institute for Health Freedom (IHF) will review
the regulations and publish its analysis next week.  IHF
will post its comments at our Website at
http://www.ForHealthFreedom.org.

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