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…
(update) Fraud reports climb after Broadway Grill hack
Connie Thompson of KCBY reports that the POS hack that led to card fraud in the Capitol Hill area was a one-day intrusion on October 22nd that involved only one business (Broadway Grill). The number of reports of fraud continues to climb and may affect almost 1,000 individuals; card info was reportedly sold to others….
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…
Disclosing Data for Purposes of Medical Research – New ECHR Judgment
Many readers of this blog will be familiar with the stringent protections which the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) affords in respect of personal health data (see further the definition of ‘sensitive personal data’ in s. 2 DPA). Thus, for example, if a data controller wishes to avoid contravening the first data protection principle (the…
FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Rite Aid Failed to Protect Medical and Financial Privacy of Customers and Employees
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges against Rite Aid Corporation, and sent letters to members of the public who submitted comments on the order. The FTC charged that the company failed to protect the sensitive financial and medical information of its customers and employees. The…