Health Privacy and Prescription Shopping

The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has made two health related temporary public interest determinations.

According to a media release issued yesterday by the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner, "The determinations continue arrangements established in February 2005 in response to an application from a doctor in private practice who was concerned that accessing the Information Service provided by Medicare Australia under its Prescription Shopping Project may have been in breach of elements of the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) of the Privacy Act," said Ms Curtis.

Background material issued with the media release notes that "The health information collected from Medicare Australia's Prescription Shopping Information Service may be used to assist with clinical decisions about individuals who are suspected of using PBS medicines in excess of their therapeutic need."

The determinations can be viewed here.