There was some discussion recently concerning problems which could arise if the U.S. federal government had a medical database on its citizens. One example of abuse of medical records is documented in the report of the "Krever Royal Commission on the Confidentiality of Health Records", published in 1980 in Canada. In the particular case I'm citing, a (now disbanded) RCMP (federal police) dirty-tricks squad obtained medical records of a dissident, and used them for disruptive tactics. Quoting from page 45: "The letter distributed at King Edward School attempted to use accurate health information to sow dissension, disruption and distrust among the members of the Young Socialists. The three letters were written and distributed by the RCMP. Superintendent Ian William Taylor ... expressly admitted that the letters addressed to Mr. Riddell and the letter distributed at the King Edward School were written by members of the RCMP with the authorization of senior RCMP officers." One of the letters begins as follows: "COMRADE: We have been most disturbed by indications of increasing emotional instability on your part, witnessed by psychiatric consultations, violent outbursts of temper and frequent periods of irritability. We note too from the enclosed letter that your condition has not escaped the notice of others." (etc.) Please note that I have no sympathy at all with the political objectives of this group, but I think the incident is a good example of the sort of abuse which can result when highly personal records are accessible by a government. -- Alex Brock