Section 1200-07-02-.07 - RELEASE OF DATA(1) Release of non-identifying information (a) To federal agencies: 1. The TCR is authorized to collaborate with the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to provide cancer incidence statistics and participate in cancer studies.(b) To the Tennessee Department of Health1. The Tennessee Cancer Registry shall work closely with the Tennessee Department of Health in investigating cancer-related issues and in evaluating programs. Because the TCR data are an integral part of the Tennessee Department of Health cancer prevention and control programs, the use of Registry data by public health officials shall be considered an in-house activity. Data required by the Tennessee Department of Health for responding to concerns expressed about threats to the public health shall receive priority in determining the order of processing requests.(c) To the general public:1. Public reports published by the Tennessee Cancer Registry shall include aggregate, not patient identifying information or facility identifying information. Information that would potentially identify a cancer patient shall not be published. Non-identifying information may be made available to the general public upon request to the department. The availability of any data shall depend upon the department's financial or other ability to comply with such requests. The Registry shall respond to public requests as quickly as possible, subject to staffing constraints.(d) To Others: 1. The TCR is authorized to collaborate with the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) to provide cancer incidence statistics and participate in cancer studies.(2) Release of identifying information(a) Identifying information collected from any hospital, laboratory, facility, or health care practitioner may be released to qualified persons for the purposes of cancer prevention, control, and research, provided that each request for identifying information follows the established procedure outlined in the TCR Policies and Procedures Manual and receives prior approval by the department. Identifying information that is collected solely by the Tennessee Cancer Registry for its own special studies shall not be released.(3) Annual Report (a) A statistical report shall be prepared at the completion of each year's data collection cycle and will be distributed as requested.(4) Interstate Exchange of Data (a) Because cancer patients may be diagnosed or receive treatment in another state, the Commissioner or the Commissioner's authorized representative is authorized to sign agreements with other states to acquire cancer data concerning Tennessee residents and, in return, to provide those states with data relating to their residents. Each signatory state shall agree in writing to keep all patient data confidential and privileged as defined in the contract for data exchange, a copy of which is included in the TCR Policies and Procedures Manual.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-07-02-.07
Original rule filed October 6, 1986; effective November 20, 1986. Amendment filed September 5, 1990; effective October 20, 1990. Repeal and new rule filed February 1, 2002; effective April 17, 2002.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202 and 68-l-1001 et seq.