(a) (1) Epidemiological and surveillance reports and records of cases, contacts, carriers, suspect cases or suspect contacts of diseases and conditions of public health interest that are reported to the Department, including but not limited to additional information it may obtain, develop or prepare in the course of an epidemiological investigation, shall be confidential and shall not be subject to inspection by persons other than authorized personnel or agents of the Department or by the State Department of Health pursuant to the State Sanitary Code. The disclosure of such reports, records or information shall not be compelled. No individual's medical or individually identifiable information shall be disclosed from any epidemiological report or record, and no disclosure thereof may be compelled, regarding any individual who is the subject of, or identified in, such a report, or regarding an individual or entity that has made such a report.
(2) Epidemiological or surveillance information that is disseminated as aggregated statistical data shall be prepared as determined by the Department in a manner that does not reasonably enable re-identification of any person whose personal health or individually identifiable information is contained in such data.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) hereof, to the extent permissible under applicable law and in accordance with the provisions of 24 RCNY Health Code § 3.25, the person to whom any such epidemiological and surveillance report or record relates, or in the case of a minor or incompetent such person's parent, legal guardian or custodial guardian, may sign a written consent authorizing the Commissioner to disclose such person's own patient information or records of diagnosis or treatment. The consensual disclosure of such information shall only be made to the person to whom the information relates, or to such person's current treating medical provider, or to a court upon receipt of such a written consent and a court order from that court. A disclosure pursuant to this subdivision shall not include the identity of persons who reported the case, investigative or epidemiological information related to the case or the identities and epidemiologic, surveillance and laboratory information on the person's contacts or other suspect or confirmed cases, contacts or carriers associated with the same epidemiologic investigation.
(c) Subdivisions (a) and (b) of this section shall not prevent the Commissioner or authorized personnel of the Department from furnishing what the Department determines to be appropriate information to a physician or institution providing examination or treatment to a person suspected of or affected with a disease or condition of public health interest, to an agency approved by the Department for prevention, treatment or social service, or to any person when necessary for the protection of public health. Only the minimum information necessary for the intended purpose shall be disclosed. A person, institution or agency to whom such information is furnished or to whom access to records has been given shall not divulge any part thereof so as to disclose the identity of the person to whom such information or record relates, except insofar as such disclosure is necessary for the treatment of a case or carrier or for the protection of the health of others.
(d) 1) Information contained in the immunization registry created pursuant to 24 RCNY Health Code § 11.07 and the children's blood lead registry established pursuant to 24 RCNY Health Code § 11.09 shall be confidential and not subject to inspection by persons other than authorized personnel or agents of the Department and persons or agencies authorized herein. The Department may disclose information contained in said immunization registry in accordance with the provisions of § 2168 of the New York State Public Health Law, and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Information contained in the children's blood lead registry may be disclosed and the Department may permit access to such information by a person, authorized by law to administer or order a blood test, who is treating or testing the individual to whom said information relates, or to a public health agency for the protection of health. The Department may also disclose what it considers appropriate and necessary information from such immunization or children's blood lead registries to a person or agency concerned with immunization or blood lead testing of children authorized by the Department when (i) such person or agency provides sufficient identifying information satisfactory to the Department to identify the individual to whom such information relates and (ii) such disclosure is in the best interests of such individual and, in the case of a child, his or her family, or will contribute to the protection of the public health. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the person to whom any immunization or blood lead test record relates, or his or her custodial parent, guardian, or other person in parental or custodial relation to such person, may, by signing a written consent, authorize the Commissioner to disclose such record.
(2) A person, institution or agency to whom such immunization or blood lead registry information is furnished or to whom access to records or information has been given, shall not divulge any part thereof so as to disclose the identity of the person to whom such information or record relates, except insofar as such disclosure is necessary for the protection of the health of the person or other person.