IRIS OPT OUT of Government Tracking of Your Child’s Private Medical Information
IRIS is Idaho’s Immunization Tracking system. Your family is AUTOMATICALLY ENTERED into the system by authorized health care providers, child care providers, and schools. Per a June 9, 2017 phone conversations with the Idaho Health Department, they do NOT have anything in their system that will alert the users of your request to OPT OUT to having your private medical data entered into their system. While you can ask for your information to be removed from the system, it can and will, be entered back in at anytime by authorized users (doctor, schools, daycare). In otherwords, if you don’t submit your request to the schools, doctors, daycare providers that you wish to have your private medical information REMAIN PRIVATE they will assume that you want to be tracked.
Your children’s medical information is likely in the database RIGHT NOW. You must OPT OUT to have your information removed from the IRIS database.
However, once your information is shared within the government tracking database, authorized 3rd parties can take the information and use it as they wish. While you can opt out of IRIS and purge your child’s information from their IRIS system, you are unable to purge it from the third party systems once it has been accessed.
Is this a gross violation of privacy? Do you think our tracking system should be something you can OPT IN to if you wish rather than being forced in? Its time to let our legislators know we want them to make this change!
per the IDAHO HEALTH AND WELFARE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE: http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/IDImmunizationProgram/ImmunizationRegistryIRIS/IRISOptOut/tabid/3812/Default.aspx
Idaho’s Immunization Reminder Information System (IRIS) is a secure health information system containing the names and immunization history of people who have received vaccinations in Idaho. This information is available only to authorized health care providers, child care providers, and schools. Participation in IRIS is voluntary and you may opt out at any time by contacting the Idaho Immunization Program at (208)334-5931 and requesting an opt-out form, or by completing this online opt-out form.
Please remember that if you opt to have information about yourself, your minor child, or person whom you are a legal guardian be removed from IRIS, then you must maintain the individual’s immunization (shot) records. Verification of immunization status is a requirement for entry to schools (including some secondary schools and colleges), summer or day camps, employment in certain industries, participation in certain volunteer activities, and other situations. Two options are available for opting out of IRIS for yourself, your minor child (under the age of 18 years), or a person for whom you are a legal guardian:
- Option 1: Remove only immunization-related information from IRIS. Only demographic information is retained in IRIS, including name, address, phone number, mother’s maiden name, date of birth, and gender. Demographic information will not be viewable by medical providers, schools or childcare staff. By making this selection, I understand that allowing demographic information to be retained in IRIS will reduce the chance of accidental or intentional re-entry of vaccination information about me/him/her.
- Option 2: Remove all information from IRIS – immunization and demographic. By making this selection, I understand that at any time, information regarding myself, my child, or person for whom I am a legal guardian, may be re-entered by a health care provider. I understand that I must work with my health care provider(s) to ensure this information is not re-entered into IRIS.
CLICK HERE to have your private medical information removed from IRIS.
CLICK HERE TO Find your Legislators and Send them a brief message:
IRIS tracking system is NOT voluntary as an OPT OUT system. It is a gross violation of privacy. Please support legislation that changes the Health Department’s vaccine tracking system to an OPT IN by choice system.
2017 Legislative Session they attempted to expand the tracking to include Adults the bill was HB 91.https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2017/legislation/H0091/
It FAILED to pass into law.
The following representatives voted against an automatic tracking of adults into the IRIS system. Contact these Representatives and thank them for protecting privacy and ask them to sponsor a bill that removes the automatic entry of our children’s information.
Anderst, Armstrong, Barbieri, Blanksma, Boyle, Burtenshaw, Chaney, Cheatham, Clow, Collins, Crane, Dayley, DeMordaunt, Dixon, Gannon, Gestrin, Giddings, Hanks, Harris, Hartgen, Holtzclaw, Jordan, Kerby, Kingsley(Lohman), Luker, Manwaring, McDonald, Mendive, Monks, Moon, Moyle, Nate, Palmer, Scott, Shepherd, Stevenson, Syme, Thompson, Troy, Trujillo, Vander Woude, Youngblood, Zito, Zollinger
