To protect personal data rights, people can now apply to stop their National Health Insurance (NHI) information from being used for academic and research purposes, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) said today.
The Constitutional Court on Aug. 12, 2022, issued Interpretation No. 13, which states that the use of NHI data by government agencies or academic institutions for academic or research purposes is constitutional.
However, the judgement said that current law lacks sufficient oversight of personal data use and does not allow people to request that their data is not used, which is unconstitutional.
Photo: Taipei Times
The court ruled the law must be amended within three years.
The Executive Yuan approved a draft law to manage NHI data in May, which includes regulations allowing people to opt out of having their data used.
However, as the Legislative Yuan has yet to complete its review of the draft law and the court’s deadline has arrived, the NHIA released guidelines explaining how people can stop their data from being used for research purposes.
This would ensure people’s rights are protected while the law is still being amended, the NHIA said.
NHIA official Yu Hui-chen (游慧真) said today that starting immediately, people can apply at any regional NHIA office or through the NHI app to opt out of having their data used for academic research.
The NHIA would complete the approval process within 30 days of receiving the application, Yu said.
Currently institutions that can apply to use NHI data include government agencies, administrative corporations, medical institutions, academic research institutions, universities and others commissioned by the government, Yu said.
Institutions have used NHI data for academic and medical research, as well as public health and policy evaluations, she said.
The data have been used in more than 9,000 articles published in domestic and international journals, and have helped many graduate students obtain degrees, she added.
Yu said that to protect data security and personal privacy, NHI data is only provided to support academic research and public welfare.
It must be approved by institutional review boards and relevant authorities, and can only be accessed in specified locations, Yu said.
Personal information is deidentified, data about rare cases is not available and only statistical results may be taken out, she added.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS