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Libbie Canter

Libbie Canter represents a wide variety of multinational companies on privacy, cyber security, and technology transaction issues, including helping clients with their most complex privacy challenges and the development of governance frameworks and processes to comply with global privacy laws. She routinely supports clients on their efforts to launch new products and services involving emerging technologies, and she has assisted dozens of clients with their efforts to prepare for and comply with federal and state privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act.

Libbie represents clients across industries, but she also has deep expertise in advising clients in highly-regulated sectors, including financial services and digital health companies. She counsels these companies — and their technology and advertising partners — on how to address legacy regulatory issues and the cutting edge issues that have emerged with industry innovations and data collaborations.

On September 27, 2023, Governor Newsom signed AB 254 and AB 352, which both amend the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (“CMIA”).  Specifically, AB 254 expands the scope of the CMIA to expressly cover reproductive or sexual health services that are delivered through digital health solutions and the associated health information generated from these services.  AB 352 imposes new requirements on how electronic health record (“EHR”) systems must store medical information related to gender affirming care, abortion and related services, and contraception and the ability of providers of health care, health care service plans, contractors, or employers to disclose such information.

Continue Reading California Enacts Amendments to the CMIA

On September 15, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced an updated joint publication describing the privacy and security laws and rules that impact consumer health data.  Specifically, the “Collecting, Using, or Sharing Consumer Health Information? Look to HIPAA, the FTC Act, and the Health Breach Notification Rule” guidance provides an overview of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as amended, and the implementing regulations issued by HHS (collectively “HIPAA”); the FTC Act; and the FTC’s Health Breach Notification Rule (“HBNR”) and how they may apply to businesses.  This joint guidance follows a recent surge of FTC enforcement in the health privacy space.  We offer a high level summary of the requirements flagged by the guidance.

Continue Reading FTC and HHS Announce Updated Health Privacy Publication

Innovative digital solutions intended to address health issues typically experienced by women have been an area of increased focus.  Ranging from reproductive-related mobile applications to AI-enabled breast cancer screening devices, digital solutions for women+ health show promise to serve an enormous market with medical needs that have often failed to get the level of attention

On December 7, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), announced updates to the Mobile Health App Interactive Tool­—a questionnaire designed to help mobile health app developers identify federal laws and regulations that may apply to

On September 28, the governor of California signed into law AB 2089, which expands the scope of California’s Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (“CMIA”) to cover mental health services that are delivered through digital health solutions and the associated health information generated from these services. 

Continue Reading California Expands the Scope of the CMIA to Cover Certain Digital Mental Health Services and Information

Digital health technologies, including algorithms for use in health care, are being developed to aid healthcare providers and serve patients, from use with administrative tasks and workflow to diagnostic and decision support.  The use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) and machine learning algorithms in health care holds great promise, with the ability to help streamline care

On April 6, 2022, the Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) at the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published a request for information (“RFI”) seeking public comment on implementing certain provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (“HITECH”) Act, indicating that a rulemaking or further guidance related to the HITECH Act may be forthcoming.  Specifically, the RFI seeks input as to how covered entities and business associates are voluntarily implementing recognized security practices.  OCR will consider the implementation of such practices when making certain determinations relating to the resolution of potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) Security Rule.  The RFI also seeks input on the process for distributing to harmed individuals a percentage of civil monetary penalties (“CMPs”) or monetary settlements collected pursuant to the HITECH Act.  Although HIPAA does not provide a private right of action, the potential for sharing in monetary penalties or settlements could incentivize individuals to report potential HIPAA violations to OCR.

Continue Reading OCR Seeks Comments Related to Recognized Security Practices and Distribution of Civil Monetary Penalties under the HITECH Act

On January 21, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced new resources to help companies determine their obligations under the Health Breach Notification Rule (the “Rule”): the Health Breach Notification Rule: Basics for Business, which provides a quick introduction to the Rule, and Complying with FTC’s Health Breach Notification Rule (“Compliance Guidance”), a more in-depth compliance guidance.  These resources follow the FTC’s September 2021 Policy Statement, which expanded the Rule’s application to the developers of health apps, connected devices, and similar products, and similarly emphasize the FTC’s continued scrutiny of health technology.

Continue Reading FTC Releases New Health Breach Notification Rule Guidance, Targets Health Apps and Connected Devices

On Wednesday, October 6th, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 41, the Genetic Information Privacy Act, which expands genetic privacy protections for consumers in California, including those interacting with direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) genetic testing companies.  In a recent Covington Digital Health blog post, our colleagues discussed SB 41 and the growing patchwork of state genetic privacy

Last Friday, October 1, the Protecting DNA Privacy Act (HB 833), a new genetic privacy law, went into effect in the state of Florida establishing four new crimes related to the unlawful use of another person’s DNA.  While the criminal penalties in HB 833 are notable, Florida is not alone in its focus