Professor Ikemoto Interviewed on Medical Records Privacy by KKSF


Professor Lisa Ikemoto commented on privacy and medical records for a news report on San Francisco radio station KKSF regarding hackers who penetrated the online security systems of three of the nation's largest manufacturers of medical equipment. Those who breached the companies' systems may have done so to steal intellectual property or they may have been seeking personal information contained in patient medical records, Ikemoto said.

"There are strong benefits to having our information digitalized, but it makes us vulnerable at the same time," said Ikemoto. People whose medical information has been disclosed could face discrimination in employment, interpersonal relationships, and other aspects of their lives, she said. "In our society we tend to value health, well-being, and heartiness very strongly, and once we have a diagnosis and other people know it, they tend to see you through that lens."

Lisa Ikemoto teaches bioethics and health law courses at the UC Davis School of Law. She has written extensively on genetic and reproductive technology, the regulation of fertility and pregnancy, and race and gender disparities in health care. Her current work examines emerging issues in regenerative medicine, including stem cell research, and the human tissues market.

KKSF Report

 

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