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E-NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL VACCINE INFORMATION CENTER

Vienna, Virginia                http://www.909shot.com

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    UNITED WAY/COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN

                 #9119

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"Protecting the health and informed consent rights of children since 1982."

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PRESS RELEASE FROM HEALTH FREEDOM INSTITUTE

For Release: August 12, 2002

Individuals Lose, Government and Corporations Gain Control

over Personal Health & Genetic Information

**Bush Administration Grants Data-Processing Companies and

Other Health Care Industries New Federal Regulatory

Authority to Collect and Share Individuals’ Personal Health

Information--Including Genetic Information--Without

Individuals’ Consent**

Washington, D.C.--On August 9, 2002, the U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it has revised the

federal medical privacy rule initially proposed by the

Clinton Administration.  HHS’s “Fact Sheet” admits that the

revised rule eliminates the existing standard whereby

doctors must get patients’ consent before releasing

patients’ personal health information--including genetic

information--for treatment, payment or health care

operations (a broad definition encompassing many uses).

Rather than allowing individuals to decide who can see their

medical records, HHS is granting federal regulatory

authority for data-processing companies, insurers, some

researchers, government officials and others to access

individuals’ personal health information without

individuals’ permission.

Additionally, when the rule takes effect in April 2003,

individuals’ personal health information can be transferred

electronically over the Internet without patients’ consent.

But most Americans won’t know this is happening because

under the federal medical privacy rule, citizens will not

get an accounting of disclosures for routine uses of their

personal health information (for which the number of routine

uses is unlimited).

“HHS’s Fact Sheet about the federal medical privacy rule is

very misleading,” says Sue Blevins, president of the

Institute for Health Freedom.  “That’s because while

claiming to be committed to ‘maintaining protections for the

privacy of individually identifiable health information,’

HHS’s privacy rule does not prevent government or the

medical industry from compiling and sharing individuals’

personal health information--including genetic

information--without individuals’ permission.  How can HHS

say patients’ privacy is being enhanced when, in fact, HHS

is actually granting legal access to patients’ records

without their consent?”  She adds, “If Enron or WorldCom

executives had distorted the truth the way HHS officials

have about the federal medical privacy rule, they probably

would be charged with false advertising.”

“For the first time in our nation’s history, the federal

government has taken the patient out of the driver’s seat

and given the medical industry full access to individuals’

personal health information without individuals’

permission,” Blevins notes.

For information about health privacy issues and the

Institute for Health Freedom, visit

www.ForHealthFreedom.org.

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ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.