No Health Data shared with Insurance, Pharma companies without consent: Shri Prataprao Jadhav
New Delhi: The Minister of State for Health, Prataprao Jadhav informed that the Government of India implemented the Health Data Management Policy (HDM Policy), which came into effect on December 14, 2020. This policy aims to establish minimum standards for privacy, data protection, and the ethical handling of health data within the evolving healthcare ecosystem, particularly under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
The Health Data Management Policy also includes strict regulations on data storage. Health data shared for specific purposes cannot be stored for longer than necessary for those purposes.
Moreover, the principle of data minimization is enshrined in the policy. This principle requires that only the minimum necessary data be shared, ensuring that no excessive or irrelevant health information is disclosed to third parties.
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The minister was responding to the questions posed by Shri Manoj Kumar Jha about whether patient health data is shared with insurance and/or pharmaceutical companies under the Health Data Management Policy, if so, the extent and nature of such data sharing;
He seeks to know whether the Ministry has established clear limitations on the use of such data by insurance and pharmaceutical companies; and
He also asked about the steps taken by the Ministry to ensure adherence to these limitations by pharmaceutical companies.
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A purpose-based limitation on sharing of data has been imposed on health information users (HIUs). Also, the entity to which data is shared (health information user) would not further disclose the data without obtaining the consent of the data principal (the individual). The data shared would also not be stored beyond the period necessary for the purpose specified while obtaining the prior consent of the individual. In addition, the principle of data minimization will also have to be adhered to by the entity which has received the shared data, added the Minister.
