Vaccinations against COVID-19 protect us, our loved ones, and our communities. Pharmacies are playing an essential role in the distribution of vaccines. Neither of those two facts can be disputed. However, in order to protect ourselves, we should not have to turn over personal data for purposes that are unrelated to the administration of the vaccine.
When you register for a vaccine, you have one of two choices: you can go through the federal, state, or local government, or you can go through your local pharmacy. When you register to receive a vaccination, some national pharmacy chains such as CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart are collecting your information and using it to improve their marketing.
It's no secret that these pharmacies play a vital role in the vaccination effort against COVID-19. Ultimately, more than 40,000 pharmacies across the country will be delivering potentially life-saving vaccines, many in communities that have been the hardest hit by the pandemic. But while you receive the vaccine for free, the pharmacies are cashing in twice — they charge insurance companies and the government for the cost of the vaccine, and profit off of your information.
People's health information should not be for sale. Through April 1, 2021, more than 26 million doses have been administered by these pharmacies — that means that at least 13 million people have had their personal health information used for non-health purposes.
CDT works each day to protect your health data. We are advocating that all medical facilities distributing the COVID-19 vaccinations to only collect data necessary and relevant to administering the vaccines, only use the data for that purpose, and delete the data once it is no longer needed for that purpose. This standard is being upheld by government providers of the vaccine — pharmacies should follow suit. You should not be forced to essentially sell your own data to protect yourself and your loved ones. Pharmacies should not profit from the ongoing international health emergency.
Together, we can put civil rights and civil liberties at the center of the digital age.
Sincerely,
Alexandra Givens
President & CEO
Center for Democracy & Technology
