The local midwives are opposed to the new regulation of the mother-child card (hereinafter referred to as the parent-child card). The reason for this is that the planned amendment to the law means that the second parent must also have access to the mother’s sensitive data, according to criticism. Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) tries to calm down.
The review for the new parent-child passport ends Friday. According to the institutions, the project is largely welcomed – both the creation of the electronic application and the fundamental objectives of the reform.
The Austrian Obstetrics Committee (ÖHG) also supports the fundamental objectives of the reform, but complains that essential views of the ÖHG have not been taken into account. One point in particular should leave midwives too much room for interpretation: data protection.
Criticism: “Unacceptable in terms of women’s politics”
The concern: the previously found sentence in the mother-child passport “Unauthorized persons may not view the mother-child passport without your permission” is said to be missing. In particular, they criticize the fact that people could have access to sensitive findings without the express consent of the mother.
The topic immediately caused a stir on social networks. The government’s current plan is “unacceptable in terms of women’s politics,” the Austrian Women’s Ring said via Twitter. “We share the opinion of the obstetric committees.” The network of Austrian advice centers for women and girls expressed a similar view in its statement. When women and children are victims of violence, the abusive partner must be blocked and excluded.
Even abortions can be evaluated?
The Dutch Data Protection Authority expresses various concerns. Among other things, he wants an explanation why the retention period of the data cannot be reduced from 30 years and why access to the data cannot be limited to the data subject much earlier.
The organization epicenter.works also noted “some shortcomings in the bill from a data protection point of view”. In this way, the healthcare provider is obliged to register for every detected pregnancy. A completed abortion would therefore be verifiable and evaluable at any time.
Rauch: “No one sees test results”
The widespread criticism ultimately called for action by the Minister of Health personally. The critics’ description was “incorrect”, he wanted to draw a line under the flaring debate on Friday via Twitter. Until the birth, only the pregnant woman has access to the data, after that only the legal representative. “No one – not even the 2nd parent – sees the test results of the pregnant woman,” he emphasizes.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Social Affairs further pointed out that the current bill is only a basis so that the parent-child passport remains safe and digitization can begin. For example, the expansion of the service catalog has not yet been fully incorporated, this is currently being negotiated.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
