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does not violate any right of the inmate when he has filed suit against prison officials.”) (citing Gill
v. Gilder, 1997 WL 419983, at *2 (S.D. N.Y. July 28, 1997)); Ferrell v. Glen-Gery Brick, 678 F.
Supp. 111, 112-13 (E.D. Pa. 1987) (“when a party places his or her physical or mental condition in
issue, the privacy right is waived”).
Because the requested documents are relevant to this action, they must be produced unless
they are privileged. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(1). Plaintiff has waived the privilege, at least according
to state law, by placing his medical records at issue in this case. See In re Lifschutz, 2 Cal.3d 415,
433–34 (1970) (under California law, the patient-physician privilege is waived where the patient’s
specific medical condition is placed into issue by the patient). Under federal law, the privilege may
be waived when the patient files a lawsuit that places the content of the privileged communications
in issue. See Sarko v. Penn–Del Directory Co., 170 F.R.D. 127, 130 (E.D. Pa. 1997); Vann v. Lone
Star Steakhouse & Saloon, Inc., 967 F. Supp. 346, 349–50 (C.D. Ill. 1997); cf. Home Indem. Corp.
v. Lane Powell Moss and Miller, 43 F.3d 1322, 1326 (9th Cir. 1995) (applying waiver to the
attorney-client privilege).
Privacy rights in medical records are neither fundamental nor absolute. Whalen v. Roe, 429
U.S. 589, 603-604 (1977). The holder of a privacy right can waive it through a variety of acts,
including by written authorization or instituting a lawsuit. Id. Moreover, where an individual
institutes a law suit in which his health and medical records are at issue, release of the records would
likely be ordered, even over objection, during discovery. See Williams v. Baron, 2007 WL 433120,
at *1 (E.D. Cal. Feb. 5, 2007).
As a general rule, HIPAA prohibits disclosure of private medical data. “Except as otherwise
permitted or required by this subchapter, a covered entity may not use or disclose protected health
information without an authorization that is valid under this section.” 45 C.F.R. 164.508(a).
However, 45 C.F.R. 164.508 permits disclosure in certain circumstances including when it is
allowed under 45 C.F.R. 164.512. Subdivision (e) of this latter section permits disclosure of the
records in judicial proceedings if ordered by the court, or in response to a subpoena if the agency is
assured that the subpoenaing party has made reasonable efforts to obtain a release. 45 C.F.R.
164.512(e). “Reasonable efforts” are shown when the subpoena allows time for objections and none
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