This post originally appeared on our sister blog, InsideMedicalDevices.
On September 26, 2012 the European Commission adopted its long awaited proposals for the revision of the EU regulatory framework for medical devices. Three Directives, i.e., Directive 90/385/EEC on active implantable medical devices, Directive 93/42/EEC on medical devices and Directive 98/79/EC on in vitrodiagnostic medical devices (IVDs),…
The Federal Communications Commission has ruled that companies may send a one-time text message to confirm that a subscriber has opted out of receiving text messages without violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). In the FCC’s view, if a consumer has consented to receiving text messages and subsequently opts out, the consumer’s prior express…
Earlier this week, the House Committee on Ethics issued guidance on the House Gift Rule as a reminder of issues that might arise during the holiday season. Absent an exception, Members and staff are prohibited under the House Gift Rule from accepting any gifts. The Ethics Committee’s merry guidance focuses on the exceptions and presents…
The House Committee on Ethics has issued two memoranda—one to Members and officers and the other to staff—detailing the restrictions placed on these individuals when negotiating future employment and entering the private workforce. While this guidance is directed to those within the House of Representatives, it provides a useful description of the issues private…
On 28 November 2012, following an 18-month investigation, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced that it had fined the joint owners of Tetrus Telecoms (Tetrus) a total of £440,000 under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). The fine penalized Tetrus for sending millions of unsolicited text messages promoting opportunities to claim compensation for…
By Anna Kraus
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released guidance on methods for de-identification of protected health information (PHI) in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. The guidance, which was required under Section 13424(c) of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical…
Earlier today, Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) was selected by his colleagues to continue to serve as Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the key House committee with jurisdiction over the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. In addition, Rep. Upton announced that Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) will take over…
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee reportedly will vote on Sen. Patrick Leahy’s bill that would amend the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA). The bill would amend the VPPA by clarifying that a consumer may consent to the disclosure of her video viewing information “though an electronic means…
Speaking in Brussels yesterday on “Competition and Privacy in Markets of Data,” EU Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia observed that privacy is “becoming one of the central debates of our time.” Technological and commercial developments have strengthened companies’ ability and incentive to “gather, manipulate and trade personal data.” Because “personal data are a type of asset…
A federal appeals court will rehear a case in which a split three-judge panel ruled it was unconstitutional to prohibit non-commercial broadcast stations from selling political advertisements.
A federal statute, 47 U.S.C. § 399b, generally prohibits public broadcasters from airing “advertisements,” which the statute defines to include paid messages that (1) promote a for-profit entity’s…
