[Med-privacy] "Health Data: Not For Sale"

[peter marshall]

Health Data: Not For Sale

Right now, as Congress considers health IT legislation that would=20
convert our health records from paper to electronic data, patient=20
information is at risk of becoming a commodity that businesses can sell=20=

or trade.

While having a nationally connected electronic network for storing and=20=

sharing Americans medical information promises to reduce medical error=20=

and improve patient care both in emergencies and chronic situations,=20
medical privacy should not become a casualty of the race to set up=20
databases of electronic health records.

We need real patient control of data and damages for misuse or theft. =20=

Patients must be able to review files, correct bad data, and block=20
access without consent to personal information.  The current=20
legislation does not have these protections.

If Congress fails to require strong privacy and security standards now,=20=

during the early stages of development of these online patient records=20=

systems, Americans=92 medical secrets will be extremely vulnerable to=20
snooping - or being lost or stolen.

[ACLU]=