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Alternatives to sharing COVID-19 data with law enforcement: Recommendations for stakeholders

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  • Molldrem, Stephen
  • Hussain, Mustafa I.
  • McClelland, Alexander

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in some jurisdictions, police have become involved in enforcing coronavirus-related measures. Relatedly, several North American jurisdictions have established COVID-19 data sharing protocols with law enforcement. Research across a range of fields has demonstrated that involving police in matters of public health disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable and does more harm than good. This is reflected in the consensus against COVID-19 criminalization that has emerged among civil society organizations focused on HIV, human rights, and harm reduction. The European Data Protection Board has also released guidelines against re-uses of COVID-19 data for law enforcement purposes. This article offers an overview of the harms of criminalizing illnesses and strategies for health stakeholders to seek alternatives to sharing COVID-19 data with police agencies while facilitating interoperability with healthcare first responders. It also presents case studies from two North American jurisdictions – Ontario and Minnesota – that have established routine COVID-19 data sharing with police. We recommended seven alternatives, including designating COVID-19 data as sensitive and implementing segmented interoperability with first responder agencies. These guidelines can help ensure that health information technology platforms do not become vehicles for the criminalization of COVID-19, and that health data stay within the health system.

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  • Molldrem, Stephen & Hussain, Mustafa I. & McClelland, Alexander, 2021. "Alternatives to sharing COVID-19 data with law enforcement: Recommendations for stakeholders," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(2), pages 135-140.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:125:y:2021:i:2:p:135-140
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2020.10.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lee, L.M. & Heilig, C.M. & White, A., 2012. "Ethical justification for conducting public health surveillance without patient consent," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(1), pages 38-44.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fazio, Andrea & Reggiani, Tommaso & Sabatini, Fabio, 2022. "The political cost of sanctions: Evidence from COVID-19," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(9), pages 872-878.
    2. Lepore, Dominique & Frontoni, Emanuele & Micozzi, Alessandra & Moccia, Sara & Romeo, Luca & Spigarelli, Francesca, 2023. "Uncovering the potential of innovation ecosystems in the healthcare sector after the COVID-19 crisis," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 80-86.
    3. Matthias Klumpp & Dominic Loske & Silvio Bicciato, 2022. "COVID-19 health policy evaluation: integrating health and economic perspectives with a data envelopment analysis approach," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(8), pages 1263-1285, November.

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