Section 27.5a. Confidentiality of case reports

Case reports submitted to the Department or to an LMRO are confidential. Neither the reports, nor any information contained in them which identifies or is perceived by the Department or the LMRO as capable of being used to identify a person named in a report, will be disclosed to any person who is not an authorized employe or agent of the Department or the LMRO, and who has a legitimate purpose to access case information, except for any of the following reasons:

(1) When disclosure is necessary to carry out a purpose of the act, as determined by the Department or LMRO, and disclosure would not violate another act or regulation.

(2) When disclosure is made for a research purpose for which access to the information has been granted by the Department or an LMRO. Access shall be granted only when disclosure would not violate another act or regulation. The research shall be subject to strict supervision by the LMRO to ensure that the use of information disclosed is limited to the specific research purpose and will not involve the further disclosure of information which identifies or is perceived as being able to be used to identify a person named in a report.

The provisions of this § 27.5a adopted January 25, 2002, effective January 26, 2002, 32 Pa.B. 491.