Electronically Processed Personal Health Data Privacy Protection in the UAE: An Analytical Study

Abstract

This research addressed the importance of a sensitive issue that concerns all members of society, which is personal health data and information, which means of information and communication technology (ICT) have become playing an important, even essential, role in preserving, storing and processing them, which requires the necessity of preserving the privacy of that data and information from any attack that may occur. or accessed by persons who may misuse it, causing harm to the owner of that data.The aim of this research is to clarify the role of the Emirati legislator in protecting the privacy of personal health data processed electronically, as it became clear to us that the legislator worked to establish the necessary controls that frame the use of information and communications technology means in a way that ensures the preservation of the privacy of personal health data. It also stressed the protection of private information and data. The patient is considered to be of a confidential nature, and is prohibited from using and accessing it except after obtaining written consent from the patient or his/her legal representative, in addition to cases that the legislator has excluded for economic, scientific, social, or judicial purposes. Finally, the penalty resulting from breaching the rules for protecting such data has been stated.