What assurances exist that EPC tags on pharmaceutical products will not intrude upon patient privacy?
First, EPC tags do not collect or contain any personally identifiable information. In addition, the EPCglobal Guidelines apply to EPC tagged products, including EPC-tagged pharmaceutical items going to consumers. Finally, the privacy protections currently afforded consumers by the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) apply, and are unaffected by the use of RFID and EPCs. More information about how HIPAA protects the privacy and security of health information is available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/consumer_summary.
