The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) recognises data concerning health as a special category of data and provides a definition for health data for data protection purposes. Though the innovative principles introduced by the GDPR (privacy by design or the prohibition of discriminatory profiling) remain relevant and applicable to health data as well, specific safeguards for personal health data and for a definitive interpretation of the rules that allows an effective and comprehensive protection of such data have now been addressed by the GDPR. Processes that foster innovation and better quality healthcare, such as clinical trials or mobile health, need robust data protection safeguards in order to maintain the trust and confidence of individuals in the rules designed to protect their data.
EDPB-EDPS Joint Opinion 1/2019 on the processing of patients’ data and the role of the European Commission within the eHealth Digital Service infrastructure (eHDSI)
EDPS Decision pursuant to Article 9(7) of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 concerning the transfers of personal data carried out by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to the World Health Organization (WHO) (Case 2017-1120)
Prior Checking Opinion "Office Indoor Climate Survey" at the Committee of Regions (Case 2017-0676)
The May 2017 edition of the EDPS Newsletter covers recently adopted Opinions on data protection and the EU institutions, digital content and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), as well as many other EDPS activities.
Opening speech by Giovanni Buttarelli at the Workshop: Data Protection within International Ogranizations organised by the International Organization for Migration and the European Data Protection Supervisor, Geneva, Switzerland