1. United States
2. S.C.
3. Letter

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is seeking federal access to Americans' detailed, identifiable medical records. The initiative, which relies on data from state health information exchanges and various federal/commercial databases, aims to study chronic diseases and search for a link between vaccines and autism. I strongly oppose any federal policy or program that allows government access to my private medical records without my explicit, individual permission. My medical information is intensely personal and must remain under my control. No federal access should occur without a clear, documented patient authorization, and no public benefit or government service should be conditioned on permitting such access. Federal rules expanding electronic access and interoperability (including the Cures Act information‑sharing rules) rightly empower patients to obtain and move their own records, but they also create pathways that could be misused if strong guardrails are not enforced. Any policy that permits government agencies to obtain medical records without a warrant, a court order based on probable cause, or an individual’s informed consent risks violating privacy, chilling care‑seeking behavior, and undermining trust in the health system. Current legal authorities and exceptions (e.g., for national security, law enforcement, or certain public‑health disclosures) are broad and, in practice, can allow disclosure without patient notice — that must change. I urge you to support legislation and oversight to ensure: Explicit patient consent is required before any federal agency may access an individual’s medical records, except in narrowly tailored emergency situations with post‑event judicial review. No eligibility, benefit, or government service may be conditioned on waiving medical‑record privacy. Robust notice, transparency, and audit requirements whenever records are requested or disclosed to government entities, and clear remedies for improper access. Strong technical and contractual protections for third parties and app developers who handle health data, including strict limits on onward sharing and sale.