The non-public well being data of 1,655 breast most cancers sufferers was inadvertently disclosed in a postcard by UAB’s nursing college urging them to take part in a survey associated to their analysis, the varsity stated Friday.
The postcard, despatched to sufferers in Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker counties, inadvertently contained protected well being data, together with the sufferers’ first and final names, addresses and inferred their analysis.
Investigators grew to become conscious of the breach on Might 29, the nursing college stated, and the varsity knowledgeable sufferers of the breach this week.
A letter despatched to the affected sufferers apologized for the error and included the character of the breach and the knowledge in danger. It additionally reiterated the establishment’s dedication to sufferers, in addition to steps taken in response to the incident, the varsity stated.
“UAB takes the safety of our sufferers’ and research contributors’ privateness and knowledge very critically,” the letter reads, in response to UAB. “Please know that applicable actions have and can proceed to be taken to stop such a incident from occurring sooner or later.”
