The health ministry has roped in the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, to draft a law guaranteeing right to privacy and confidentiality of medical information. The law — tentatively called the Healthcare Data Privacy and Security Act — will devise a comprehensive legal framework for protection of individual health data and its standardisation, and identify the “ownership” of that data through the establishment of a national e-health authority and health information exchanges. The law will have detailed remedies for any breach of data — both civil and criminal proceedings — entitling the patient to compensation if the data is leaked and severe punitive action against persons or agencies responsible.
Health data is to be collected only with the consent of the patient. Source: The Indian Express
