Privacy of medical information threatened

I haven't been watching the House and Senate daily since stem cells were dropped from the agenda, but today I was reminded that's not a good thing to do. While you're not looking, Congress may slip something through you had no idea about.

This time it could be the privacy of your personal medical information (including results of genetic testing).

I received a notice from the Ethics and Health Law daily newsletter, which happens to come from Australia. The lead-in said: "Congress has latched onto legislation to create a national health information system: the Health Information Technology Promotion Act of 2005 (HR 4157)." and the source was given as Medical News today, 11 February 2006 (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=37575#)

Oddly enough, the bill in question was introduced in October of last year; it didn't reach the news, but did catch the eye of the Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC). According to the article,

"This bill gives the federal government complete control over private medical data. It advances a national health surveillance system - a system where the patient's data is shared, assessed, analyzed, collected, and used without the patient's consent or knowledge," said Twila Brase, president of CCHC.

She clarified, "If this bill passes, there will be no virtually no escape for the public. The so-called federal medical privacy rule (HIPAA) eliminated patient consent requirements. This bill allows the federal government to gut stronger state privacy laws. Together they will lead to the end of personal and medical privacy for all American citizens."  

CCHC has published a chart, including analysis of the bill language and implications for the public if HR 4157 passes, click here to see it.

If you're interested in the privacy of your medical information, you may want to check this out. At the moment, the bill is still in committee.

Marie Godfrey, PhD