Health
FTC targets telehealth firms over medical privacy concerns, report says
Regulators allege widespread sharing of patient health data with advertisers, according to ABC News.
The short version
- The FTC has sued telehealth firm Hims & Hers and over half a dozen other companies, alleging they shared sensitive customer health data without permission and engaged in deceptive billing.[ABC News]
- Federal privacy regulations like HIPAA generally do not apply to direct-to-consumer telehealth platforms, creating a regulatory gap that allows patient data to be shared with advertising platforms.[ABC News]
- Hims & Hers has denied the allegations, stating the federal lawsuit is an attempt to generate headlines.[ABC News]
Key facts
- The Federal Trade Commission sued Hims & Hers, alleging deceptive practices including unauthorized health data disclosure.[ABC News]
- The FTC previously filed cases against telehealth providers including BetterHelp and GoodRx for sharing user data with platforms like Meta and Google.[ABC News]
- HIPAA and other federal sector-specific health privacy laws generally do not apply to telehealth services.[ABC News]
What remains uncertain
- Hims & Hers disputes the claims made in the FTC lawsuit, calling them an effort to generate headlines.[ABC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.