Protecting Personal Health Information in Research: Understanding the HIPAA Privacy Rule

April 17, 2003 Protecting Personal Health Information in Research: Understanding the HIPAA Privacy Rule This booklet contains information about the "Privacy Rule," a Federal regulation under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 that protects certain health information. The Privacy Rule was issued to protect the privacy of health information that identifies individuals who are living or deceased. The Rule balances an individual's interest in keeping his or her health information confidential with other social benefits, including health care research. This booklet provides researchers with a basic understanding of the Privacy Rule and how it may . . .