Public can apply to opt out of NHI data use for research: NHIA

Taipei, Aug. 12 (CNA) People in Taiwan can apply to opt out of the secondary use of their National Health Insurance (NHI) data, which is mainly used for academic and research purposes, starting Tuesday, according to the government agency that administers the health insurance system.

The four categories of data that can be opted out of are insurance enrollment records, medical service records, medical imaging and pathology reports, and testing and examination data -- all of which are directly related to patients -- the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) said Tuesday.

The move follows a 2022 Constitutional Court ruling that upheld the constitutionality of a provision in the Personal Data Protection Act allowing government and academic institutions to use NHI databases for statistical or research purposes.

The ruling concurrently deemed the lack of an oversight mechanism and a way for individuals to request cessation of use unconstitutional.

The Constitutional Court ordered that the law be amended within three years to "fully safeguard people's right to information and privacy guaranteed under Article 22 of the Constitution," with the deadline set for Aug. 12 this year.

Speaking to reporters after a press event in Taipei, NHIA Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said most secondary uses of NHI data are for academic research and serve the public interest.

However, people's right to control their own data should not be overlooked, and individuals should have the right to decide whether to participate in such uses, he said.

As the draft act on the management of NHI data has yet to clear the Legislature, the NHIA has thus introduced a set of guidelines to give the public a basis for opting out starting Tuesday, Shih said.

NHIA official Yu Hui-chen (游慧真) said individuals can opt out of four categories of data: insurance enrollment records, such as enrollment and withdrawal from the system, premium status for different occupations; medical service records, including outpatient and inpatient visits, as well as prescription history; medical imaging and pathology reports; and testing and examination data.

Applications can be made via the "NHI App," a mobile application developed by the NHIA, or in person at any NHIA regional division office, Yu said, adding that processing takes about five working days and the opt-out applies only to data from the effective date onward.

Taiwan's NHI database has long been considered a valuable and comprehensive biomedical database, contributing to more than 9,000 academic papers and helping to advance medical research, according to Shih.

All secondary uses of data from the NHI database must be reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the competent authority, with access limited to designated facilities using independent storage and computing equipment, he said.

Shih expressed hope that the integrity of the NHI database can be maintained with continued public support by not opting out, while pledging to strengthen personal data protection to ensure the continuation of medical research in Taiwan.