The US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights has released new guidance aimed at patient privacy in the wake of last week’s Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, holding that there is no longer a federal constitutional right to an abortion.
The HIPAA Privacy Rule allows disclosure of protected health information when expressly required by another law, when the request is made “through such legal processes as a court order or court-ordered warrant” and if the disclosure is necessary to prevent a threat to health or safety, the guidance said.