Is medical data in Latvia collected and used properly in the scope of the General Data Protection Regulation?

Abstract

The General Data Protection Regulation introduced stricter conditions for the collection and processing of personal data. In addition, a strong emphasis was placed on the rights of the data subject. The main objective of this research is analyse - whether rights established by the Regulation are applied in the required manner in the medical field in Latvia, putting an emphasis on whether the individual has access to his or her data. This research discusses the perspective of the GDPR to personal medical data, compares it with Latvian legislation and applies it to case analysis. The author of the Thesis through reviewing legislation and case law, and through analysing official documents, doctrine and other available information, tries to provide an answer to the proposed issues. The result shows that medical institutions in Latvia do not comply with the provision for data protection in a way compatible with legal requirements.