Joseph Conn reports: Two notices of proposed rulemaking and a proposed interim final rule, all interpreting the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, or GINA, have been issued by various federal departments and agencies, HHS’ Civil Rights Office announced. The civil rights office has issued its notice of proposed rulemaking to address privacy issues regarding…
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Lawmakers urge lower bar for data breach notification
Roy Mark reports: Two key chairmen of U.S. House committees Oct. 1 urged HHS (Health and Human Services) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to revise or appeal the agency’s controversial “harm standard” that would trigger a personal health record data breach notification. Under the current rules, companies that secure health information using encryption or destruction, no breach…
CA: Privacy at issue in marijuana regulation
Phillip Zonkel reports: A controversial item that critics have said would violate medical marijuana patients’ privacy rights is part of a proposal under review by the City Council, which would regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. The proposal was discussed Monday by the City Council’s Economic Development and Finance Committee, but the item was not addressed. The…
Early detection through trending can save thousands of lives
Lucas Mearian reports: Mining electronic patient data to discover health trends and automate life-saving health alerts for patients and their doctors will be the greatest benefit of electronic medical records (EMR), but a survey released today finds a lack of standards, privacy concerns by hospitals and patients and technology limitations is holding back progress. Hundreds…
New abortion law challenged in Oklahoma
Robert Kahn reports: Two Oklahoma women are challenging a new state law set to take effect next month that requires publication of an “Annual Abortion Report” and forces doctors to give details about their patients under threat of criminal sanctions and loss of their medical license, according to a suit in Oklahoma County Court. The…
Judge rejects challenge to Arizona abortion law
Annie Youderian reports: A federal judge in Phoenix refused to block enforcement of an Arizona law that mandates a 24-hour waiting period before abortions can be performed or before doctors can get paid for those procedures. A group of doctors and two health clinics, the Tucson Women’s Center and Family Planning Associates, sued the Arizona…