The Commissioner and all other persons to whom data is submitted pursuant to § 32.1-69.1 shall keep such information confidential. For the purpose of only complying with the provisions of § 32.1-69.1, hospitals required to report stillbirths, as defined in § 32.1-69.1, and birth defects to the Virginia Congenital Anomalies Reporting and Education System and provide patient follow-up may view personally identifiable information in the system as approved by the Commissioner and upon receipt by the Commissioner of sworn affirmation from each such person that the confidentiality of the information will be preserved. No publication of information shall be made except in the form of statistical or other studies which do not identify individuals. However, the Commissioner may contact the parents of children identified as having birth defects and their physicians to collect relevant data and to provide them with information about available public and private health care resources.

History

1985, c. 273; 2006, cc. 699, 906; 2015, c. 661.