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Judge Denies Justice Department Request For Abortion Records

by TChris

According to John Ashcroft's Justice Department, medical patients "no longer possess a reasonable expectation that their histories will remain completely confidential." That's news to patients, who consider their medical records private. It may also be news to President Bush, who promised in April 2001 to protect "the right of every American to have confidence that his or her personal medical records will remain private."

The Justice Department wants access to the medical records of women who have received abortions to further its defense of a federal law banning a procedure known as intact dilation and extraction, termed "partial birth abortion" by anti-abortion activists. Challengers of the federal ban contend that it impairs the ability of doctors to protect a woman's life or health. The Justice Department apparently hopes that the records will prove that the banned abortions are never medically necessary and that the procedure is risky.

The Justice Department did not limit its subpoenas to records involving the recently banned procedure, but also sought records of certain other second and third trimester abortions, and the names of doctors who perform any kind of abortion.

The co-chair of the Congressional Privacy Caucus, Rep. Edward J. Markey, wonders "How many hundreds of women, or thousands, will have the frightening experience of their medical records being handed over to the Justice Department as part of a fishing expedition?" Rep. Nita M. Lowey shares Markey's criticism of the Justice Department's disregard of privacy interests:

"This administration claims to have taken great pride in adopting regulations aimed at ensuring the sanctity and privacy of medical records. But in an attempt to defend the so-called partial-birth abortion ban, it seems to have lost sight of its promises."

Fortunately, the judge hearing the challenge to the ban has quashed the Justice Department's subpoenas.

The latest blow to the government was on Friday, when a federal district judge in San Francisco denied a demand by the Justice Department for access to abortion records from a public hospital there and from six Planned Parenthood affiliates in the county.

The judge, Phyllis J. Hamilton, said forcing the providers to turn over the records would undermine the privacy rights of patients and could dissuade some from seeking treatment.

"There is no question that the patient is entitled to privacy and protection," Judge Hamilton said. "Women are entitled to not have the government looking at their records."

Judge Hamilton said the records included "potentially identifying information of an extremely personal and intimate nature" like age of first sexual experience, types of contraception used and details of abuse or sexually transmitted diseases.

The city said the Justice Department was seeking the records of 2,700 patients.

As Judge Hamilton noted, the Justice Department has less intrusive means of presenting its case. Hamilton expects to base her decision on expert testimony, not on thousands of medical records of women who are not parties to the suit.

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