US sets national standards for patient privacy

In one of his final acts as US president, Bill Clinton unveiled the first federal rules governing medical privacy and patient confidentiality.

Until now, medical privacy protections varied from state to state. In announcing the regulations, Clinton said the new safeguards were required in the internet age, when, “with a click of a mouse, your personal health information can be accessed without your consent, by people you don't know.”

The new rules set national standards for protecting the privacy and distribution of Americans' …