When may health information be disclosed for public health purposes without patient consent?

• A. For marketing purposes
• B. To employers
• C. To researchers without oversight
• D. For reporting communicable diseases, outbreaks, or required public health surveillance as permitted by law

Answer: (D)

Disclosures of health information without a patient’s consent are allowed when the purpose is protecting the public’s health. Health data may be shared with public health authorities for activities like reporting communicable diseases, investigating outbreaks, and fulfilling mandated public health surveillance, as permitted by law. These disclosures are designed to help monitor and control health threats and are typically limited to the minimum information necessary to achieve that goal.

Disclosing for marketing, to employers, or to researchers without oversight goes beyond the public health exception and would usually require patient consent or appropriate ethical and regulatory approvals, so those options aren’t appropriate in this context.