|
|
|
|
|
Contact: Media Relations Officer
AAMC STATEMENT ON NEW PRIVACY REGULATIONS
Jordan J. Cohen, M.D., President
Association of American Medical Colleges
December 20, 2000
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) appreciates the federal government's efforts to develop comprehensive privacy protections for the personal health information of all Americans. As our health care system becomes increasingly complex and health data are more readily available through electronic means, the need to develop appropriate confidentiality safeguards is of paramount importance.
Over the past several years, the AAMC has worked closely with federal legislators and regulators to develop privacy protections that enhance patient confidentiality while at the same time not impairing the effective operation of the health care system or impeding the conduct of medical education and health research. On both counts, the Association had deep concerns with the proposed privacy regulations and their unintended consequences. Although we have not yet analyzed the final rule, preliminary indications are that in some pivotal respects the final rule is even more problematic than its precursor.
The American public's sense of its right to privacy, particularly related to personal medical information, is strong, and nothing less than an overwhelming public benefit could override it. The conduct of biomedical research is such a benefit that can alleviate suffering, improve the quality of life, and in many cases, make diseases obsolete. It is the vast national treasury of archived medical records, carefully documenting the progression and nature of disease and its response to therapy, that has been so essential to most of the advances in modern medicine and public health and will continue to be so in the future.
The impact of the privacy regulations on every facet of the health care system - patient care, the education of physicians and scientists, and the conduct of health research - will be profound, more so than any governmental action in memory, including the establishment of the Medicare program over 30 years ago. Whether that impact will on balance be positive or negative in terms of the health and well-being of our citizens, only time will tell.
Contact: Media Relations Officer
###
|
Contact Us © 1995-2008 AAMC Terms and Conditions Privacy Statement |