Jared James reports: An attorney general ruling that the Hidalgo County Clerk’s Office must provide access to the county’s database of electronic land records using a computer’s USB port is a major open records victory for Texas, an open government advocate said. The Texas attorney general’s ruling capped a yearlong attempt by Houston-based Integrity Title…
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Ca: Privacy boss: Don't sweat e-health outsourcing
Chip Martin reports: Ontario’s privacy watchdog says its rules protecting patient records are so tight, patients needn’t worry about them being vulnerable if London hospitals go ahead with a deal with a U.S. software giant.”You can outsource services, but you cannot outsource accountability (for privacy),” Ann Cavoukian told The Free Press. Saying Ontario has “perhaps…
NHS Choices criticised for leaking information to Facebook
Jeremy Kirk: The UK’s National Health Service plans to make clearer the privacy policy of its Choices health information website, which shares browsing information with Facebook, following complaints from a security expert and a lawmaker, an NHS spokesman said Thursday. The NHS Choices website incorporates Facebook’s “Like” button, which enables users to share information they find…
Federal Appeals Court Overturns Vermont Law that Restricted Commercial Use of Physician Information
IMS Health issued the following press release: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit today ruled that a Vermont law restricting the commercial use of information relating to physician prescribing patterns is unconstitutional. Judge John G. Koeltl wrote the majority opinion overturning an April 2009 U.S. District Court decision, concluding the Vermont law…
Consumer Groups Call on FTC to Investigate Interactive Marketing of Pharmaceutical and Health Products and Services to Consumers and Health Professionals
In a complaint filed today with the Federal Trade Commission, the Center for Digital Democracy, U.S. PIRG, Consumer Watchdog, and the World Privacy Forum called on the commission to investigate unfair and deceptive advertising practices that consumers face as they seek health information and services online. Consumers now confront a sophisticated and largely stealth interactive…
Privacy Advocates Win Database Delay
Oops — I missed this story last week. Howard Anderson reports: The launch of a national database of certain healthcare claims data, which was slated for Monday, has been delayed in the wake of strong concerns voiced by privacy advocates. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s claims database proposal, announced Oct. 5, lacks sufficient privacy policy details and…