The Mayo Clinic said it formally opposes a bill introduced this week at the state Capitol that would allow medical records to be released if someone has been dead for more than 50 years.
The bill , sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, is aimed at trying to get New York Yankees star Lou Gehrig's medical records released. A study this summer raised the question of whether Gehrig actually died of Lou Gehrig's disease, known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Kahn said these medical records may help answer that question.
When I wrote about the bill on Friday , it had not yet been introduced. At that time, Mayo Clinic's Director of Government Relations Erin Sexton issued the following statement in reaction to Kahn's bill:
"Mayo Clinic values the privacy of its patients and feels patient medical records should be private. This bill would limit the period of time that medical records remain private. We are reviewing the bill but have no position at this time."
ADVERTISEMENT
Since the bill was introduced Monday the clinic has taken a firm position against the bill. KSTP-TV reporter Tom Hauser reported that Mayo Clinic told him they believe medical records should remain private and oppose the bill.
The bill would prevent these medical records from being released if the deceased stated in their will or health care directive they did not want their records released or if a relative of the deceased objected. Gehrig has no descendants and his medical records have remained confidential since his death in 1941.
