Health retreats over Bolsonaro’s vaccination data veto – 03/02/2023 – Power

The Ministry of Health of the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) backed down from a position used to veto access to the vaccination card of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and has now stated that it is fully aligned with the position of the CGU (Controladoria-Geral da União ).

According to the folder, the denial occurred out of caution while checking the veracity of the former president’s card data.

The statement comes after Sheet reveal that the folder claimed, in response to a request via the Access to Information Law made by the reporter, that the release could violate the General Data Protection Law, an argument already rejected by the CGU.

The CGU’s decision to break the secrecy of the ex-president’s vaccination card was taken on February 15, after reviewing the case, but it has not yet been formalized. The Health Ministry’s response to the demand from Sheet is dated the 24th —thus, after the Comptroller’s initial decision.

Now, the ministry claims that “the argument used in response to requests for information via LAI sent to the Ministry of Health does not correspond to the portfolio’s assessment”.

“For the time being, we restrict ourselves to denying access out of caution, aiming, on the one hand, to ensure that the ongoing investigation takes place with due security, on the other hand, to confirm the veracity of the data contained in the vaccination card object of the request via LAI” , says the ministry.

Also according to the folder, a review of the internal flows was determined to meet the demands via LAI.

Earlier, responding to the report’s request, the folder had stated that “the data requested, as they refer to health, are linked to a natural person, in accordance with the General Law for the Protection of Personal Data – LGPD (item II of art. ), are considered sensitive personal data”.

The ministry cites several hypotheses about the possible disclosure of data of this nature, such as the consent of the person responsible, in case studies, data necessary for the execution of public policies, among others.

“In our understanding, the claim in question does not fit into any of the hypotheses legally established in the General Law for the Protection of Personal Data for the processing of data relating to health, linked to a natural person”, said the folder at the time.

CGU Minister Vinícius de Carvalho confirmed to CNN Brasil on the 17th that there is a record of vaccination against Covid in Bolsonaro’s wallet. In an interview with Sheetthe minister had already signaled the possibility of removing the confidentiality of the ex-president’s vaccination in view of the public interest in information.

Before releasing Bolsonaro’s document, the CGU investigates whether the card has been tampered with. In an official note, the body reported that the legal deadline for judgment of a specific appeal related to the former president’s vaccine card ends on March 13.

The former representative claims not to have been vaccinated against Covid, which he made a point of boasting about in the middle of the pandemic, raising criticism that the then president’s stance may have affected the population’s adherence to immunization. Meanwhile, Bolsonaro defended the use of hydroxychloroquine, an ineffective drug against the disease.