Without a dynamic information collection and analysis network, public health agencies would be ineffective in protecting health. The Commission recognizes the substantial benefits that accrue from personally identifiable health information and provides these principles to assist agencies in addressing privacy and confidentiality concerns associated with collection and use of this information in environmental health investigations.

The Commission is aware of the sensitivity of individually identifiable health information and is committed to protecting the privacy of such information and to preventing genetic and other sensitive health information from being used to discriminate against individuals. The Commission believes that the values of public health activities and privacy must be reasonably balanced.

The Commission also is aware of the need to increase public confidence in our nation 's public health system by making nonidentifiable health information and trends widely available and providing access to the analyses of collected data. This also will serve to better inform communities about the value of public health data.

The Commission believes that adherence to the following principles will enable public health agencies to honor their traditional commitment to the confidentiality of individually identifiable health records without significantly hampering execution of their obligations to the public health:

• Recognize that it is largely possible to balance the protection of individually identifiable health information and the acquisition, storage and use of that information for environmental health purposes;
  
  
• Protect individuals' privacy by ensuring the confidentiality of identifiable health information;
  
  
• Disclose only as much information as is necessary for the purpose in cases where the public health requires disclosure of identifiable information;
  
  
• Require that entities to which identifiable information has been disclosed take the same measures to ensure confidentiality that are taken by the disclosing agency;
  
  
• Utilize the best available organizational and technological means to preserve confidentiality of information (includes such measures as limiting access, staff training, agreements and penalties as well as updating of security measures);
  
  
• Provide individuals the opportunity to review, copy and request correction of identifiable health information.